BJP’s ‘gamble’ on Abhishek Banerjee may boomerang on it

It’s a 'war of nerves' of sorts between the Mo-Shah-led BJP and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress, in the run-up to the next general elections. It is almost like history repeating itself, with the central agencies beefing up their onslaught against TMC leaders. On its part, the TMC leadership is determined launch an equally befitting counter. The continuous and high decibels protests, agitation, dharnas in Delhi and in Kolkata are cases in point. West Bengal, which sends 42 MPs to the Lower House, seems set for a high-pitch battle during the run-up to the polls. Quite like the previous election, the central agencies have again padded up against the top leaders of the Trinamul Congress.

This is even as the Governor has been launching continuous tirades against the ruling party. Summons after summons are being sent to Chief Minister’s nephew and heir-apparent Abhishek Banerjee and his family members. Umpteen raids are being conducted at the residences and offices of a number of TMC leaders and office-bearers. It has touched such a low that unpleasant statements are being made by a section of the judiciary even before a final judgement is pronounced across issues.

Apparently, the BJP leadership has not heard of the ‘one bitten twice shy’ dogma as similar tricks, albeit unsuccessfully, were used in the previous elections in order to facilitate switching over from TMC. The Saffron Brigade, according to political analysts, needed to tweak its strategies and try something new, which it has not done so far. Meanwhile, the ruling party in the State is not sitting idle either.

To counter the recruitment scam in the education sector, they have brought to light yet another sensitive issue, concerning a larger number of people- Centre’s reluctance to release funds in the 100 days job scheme. Abhishek is following the footsteps of the stormy petrel- Mamata Banerjee, projecting himself as a fire-brand leader and agitator through his padayatras, dharnas and so on in his new avatar.

BJP has willy-nilly made Abhishek a hero, by shifting focus from Mamata on to him. There was a time when a sharp divide between the old warhorses (the so-called Mamata camp) and the young turks (the Abhiskhek camp) was palpable. However, now everybody seems to have rallied behind Abhishek rock solid. His leadership has been well established within the party. Abhishek and his political strategists have successfully created a situation by which even if he gets arrested in connection with any of these alleged scams, it would look like part of a political vendetta being plotted by his opponents.

And if nothing gets proved, then it will be all the more ‘Advantage Abhishek’. Not to undermine his political acumen and astuteness, if had created a political phenomenon called Mamata Banerjee (as many political analysts would like to see it), Mo-Shah’s party, instead of creating a strong BJP leadership in Bengal, is in the process of creating yet another political brand called ‘Abhishek Banerjee’!