West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a press conference, in Kolkata on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (March 20, 2025) set up a task force of Ministers and officials and delegated the responsibility of running her party to two leaders who will report to her during her week-long visit to the United Kingdom.
Ms. Banerjee is expected to leave for the U.K. on March 22 and is likely to return on March 29. On March 27, the West Bengal Chief Minister is expected to deliver a lecture at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, on the topic “Social Development: Empowerment of Women and Children”.
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Announcing the task force at the State Secretariat, Ms. Banerjee said that Ministers Chandrima Bhattacharya, Sujit Bose, Aroop Biswas, Firhad Hakim and Sashi Panja will be in charge at Nabanna, the State Secretariat, during her absence. The task force of officials will comprise IAS officers Vivek Kumar, Prabhat Mishra, and Nandini Chakraborty as well as IPS officers Rajeev Kumar and Manoj Verma. The Trinamool Congress chairperson has also nominated the party’s State’s president Subrata Bakshi and Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to look after the affairs of the party during her absence.
Political observers point out that by setting up a task force of Ministers and officials and assigning the party work to both an seasoned leader and her nephew, the Chief Minister has chosen a collective leadership rather than giving responsibility to a specific person.
No medicine for jealousy, says CM
Speaking to journalists at the State Secretariat, the Chief Minister alleged that an attempt was made to malign the State and humiliate the people of West Bengal during her visit to the U.K. “The State government had tracked emails and WhatsApp group messages being circulated ahead of her visit,” she said. Questions about Ms. Banerjee’s address at Oxford University was raised by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who said that the CM was invited to speak at a college affiliated to the prestigious university.
Mr. Adhikari posted snapshots of a letter to the Oxford University by an RTI activist, Biswanath Goswami, where the activist had raised questions about the Chief Minister’s visit and address and claimed that there were no records of it. A reply from the university to a query by Mr. Goswami had said that they “do not hold a central log of events organised in departments, colleges, and societies”.
Describing those who were targeting her visit as “Ganashatru” (enemy of the people), the Chief Minister said that there was “no medicine for the ill of jealousy”. Ms. Banerjee said that her visit has been approved by the Union government and she will participate in events hosted by the Indian High Commission in the U.K.
“If you want to play your scandalous game… we have people everywhere, and we can play the same game for your leaders,” the Chief Minister remarked. Asked if she was apprehending any protests against her on the foreign land, Ms. Banerjee said such developments will only give her more publicity.
Published – March 20, 2025 11:40 pm IST
