Not Abhishek’s only Mamata’s photos on Trinamool Martyrs’ Day rally

Photographs of party chairperson Mamata Banerjee will feature on all official posters for the July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Trinamool Congress leadership on Saturday (June 14, 2025) decided that photographs of party chairperson Mamata Banerjee will feature on all official posters for the July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally, as national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has opted out stating he was not part of the movement in 1993.

Often, the posters of Trinamool Congress feature the photographs of both the party chairperson and the general secretary. Over the past few years, as the stature of the Diamond Harbour MP grew, his photographs have prominently featured in the posters and banners of West Bengal’s ruling party.

“The poster for the July 21 rally will contain only Mamata Banerjee’s photograph. Abhishek Banerjee himself said his photo should not be there as he was not part of the original movement in 1993,” senior Trinamool Congress leader and the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay, told media persons.

The decision of Abhishek Banerjee to opt out of the posters for the Martyrs’ Day rally puts an end to all speculation about whose photographs should be given prominence at official events. From calendars to party posters, the Trinamool Congress has often grappled with the issue of which leaders’ photographs should be prominently displayed. A few months ago, the 2025 calendar sent to district units displayed the photographs of both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, but the state leadership later instructed district leaders not to use the calendar. Earlier in February 2025, Abhishek Banerjee’s photograph was not used at a party event at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

The Martyrs’ Day rally, held every year on July 21, is a major event of the State’s ruling party, where the Trinamool Congress pays homage to the 13 Youth Congress workers who were killed in police firing during the Left Front regime.

Check infighting

Amid preparations for the annual rally, the Trinamool Congress leadership is trying to check infighting in the party, particularly in the State’s Birbhum district.

Senior Trinamool Congress leaders Subrata Bakshi, Firhad Hakim, and Aroop Biswas held a meeting with Anubrata Mondal and Kajal Sheikh, both of whom have been embroiled in a long-standing feud in the district.

The party leadership urged both leaders to ensure that the factional feud does not spill into the public domain. The meeting comes days after an audio clip of Mr. Mondal abusing and threatening a police officer went viral. Mr. Mondal was heard not only threatening the officer but also using vile language against the officer’s wife and mother. Mr. Hakim said that the party has given a “last warning” to Anubrata Mondal and that he will not repeat such mistakes in the future.

The July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally is a widely anticipated event by the Trinamool rank and file, where the party chairperson is expected to outline the strategy for the Assembly polls scheduled in 2026.