A rebellion seems to be brewing in Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's ruling Trinamool Congress party. In fact, dissent has been growing between the old guard of the Trinamool Congress and its Young Turks since the party returned to power for a third five-year term in the eastern Indian state in May last year. Read:Mamata re-elected Trinamool Congress chief The spark is Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee's push to promote a 'one man, one post' policy in the party, opposed by senior members of the Trinamool Congress who have been holding multiple portfolios in the political outfit as well as the government. Though Mamata has apparently crushed the dissent by dissolving all posts in the party except that of her's -- Trinamool chairperson -- and constituting a 20-member national working committee, insiders say that it could be just the tip of the iceberg. "All's not well in the party. A cold war is going on between the old guard loyal to Mamata and the young members who owe allegiance to her nephew. The latter group is trying to revamp the party," a senior party leader told UNB over the phone from state capital Kolkata. After the constitution of the new committee on Saturday, senior Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee told the media that "Mamata has announced the new national working committee of the party". "She will later appoint the new office bearers and then it would be sent to the Election Commission." Earlier this month, Mamata Banerjee was re-elected as the chairperson of her ruling party unopposed. Addressing party workers at the Trinamool Congress headquarters in state capital Kolkata after her re-election, Mamata had stressed on the need for defeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next general elections. Read: Mamata in the dock for 'disrespecting' national anthem Terming the BJP as her “main enemy”, Mamata had said, "We want all the parties against the BJP to come together but if someone does not listen to us, stands away with their arrogance, then, in the words of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, we will walk alone." On May 2 last year, Mamata scripted history by single-handedly pulling off a landslide victory in the state election for the third time in a row, bucking anti-incumbency and staving off a massive challenge from PM Modi's BJP. Bengal had witnessed the most high-profile assembly polls last year. While Mamata had harped on being Bengal’s daughter, the BJP went overboard by asking people to vote for "change and socio-economic development" after nearly 50 years of Communist and Trinamool Congress rule.

Mamata Banerjee, affectionately called Didi, on Wednesday took her oath as the chief minister of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal for the third time.   The 66-year-old firebrand politician was administered the oath of office by West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at 11am (India time) at Taj Bhavan (governor's house) in state capital Kolkata.   "My first priority is tackling Covid. I will go to Nabanna (state secretariat) now and hold a meeting about the measures we are taking about this crisis," she said immediately after her oath-taking ceremony.   Bucking anti-incumbency, Mamata scripted history on Sunday by single handedly pulling off an astounding victory in the assembly election. She not only staved off a massive challenge from India's ruling BJP but also decimated the Left Front.   Though her party swept back to power with a resounding majority of 213 seats in the 292-member assembly, Mamata lost her own seat in Nandigram to her former protege-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari by a thin margin of around 2,000 votes. Also read: Bucking anti-incumbency, Mamata scores a hat-trick in Bengal   "This is Bangla's win... this is Bengal's win... this is your win. This win has saved Bengal, it has saved the culture and tradition of Bengal," she said, addressing a press meet on Sunday evening.   Mamata, however, made it clear in that presser only that she would challenge the result in a court of law. "How come the Election Commission reverse the results in Nandigram after formally announcing it? We will move court."   In Nandigram, the Election Commission initially announced that Mamata had won by 1,200 votes but subsequently declared Adhikari as the winner. The polling officer also rejected a plea for a recount of votes.   The BJP though has made major gains in Bengal, winning some 77 seats. In 2016, the party had just three legislators in the state. However, the Left Front has failed to grab a single seat this time. The Left Front ruled Bengal for 34 years -- from 1977 to 2011.   Also read: Mamata to be sworn in as Bengal CM on May 5   In fact, West Bengal witnessed the most high-profile contest in India's recently held state elections. While Mamata harped on being Bengal’s daughter, the BJP asked people to vote for "change and socio-economic development" after 50 years of Communist and Trinamool Congress rule.    

A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was "injured in an attack" in the eastern Indian state's Nandigram town, the firebrand politician Thursday urged her supporters to maintain calm.