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.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday scripted an astounding victory in the crucial bypoll in the eastern state to cement her position as the biggest opposition leader in India. The 66-year-old won the by-election for the assembly constituency of Bhawanipur in state capital Kolkata by a whopping margin of 59,000 votes over her main rival, a little-known lawyer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Read: Mamata all set to win crucial Bengal bypoll "I have won the Bhawanipur assembly bypoll with a margin of 58,832 votes and have registered the victory in every ward of the constituency," Mamata said, addressing the media in Kolkata. The firebrand politician had to contest in the bypoll as she was defeated in Nandigram by her protege-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari in April-May's assembly elections though her ruling Trinamool Congress party swept back to power in Bengal. India's main opposition Congress, on the other hand, did not fielded any candidate against Mamata. The party's decision was announced by West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury earlier last month. On May 2, Mamata single-handedly pulled off a landslide victory in the assembly election for the third time in a row, bucking anti-incumbency and staving off a massive challenge from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. Read: Crucial bypoll begins in Bengal to decide Mamata's fate In June this year, Mamata moved the high court to declare Suvendu's election win "null and void' on the grounds that he had indulged in corrupt practices and sought votes on the basis of religion.  Bengal had witnessed the most high-profile contest in India's recently held state polls. While Mamata harped on being Bengal’s daughter, the BJP asked people to vote for "change and development" after 50 years of Communist and Trinamool rule.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is all set to formally kickstart her campaign for the upcoming by-election in the eastern Indian state on Wednesday. Mamata is contesting the crucial bypoll -- slated for September 30 -- from the assembly constituency of Bhawanipur in south Kolkata. To continue as Bengal CM, the 66-year-old has to pull off a win. Though her Trinamool Congress party swept back to power in May's assembly polls, Mamata lost her own seat in Nandigram to her protege-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari by around 2,000 votes. She has, however, challenged Suvendu's election in the Kolkata high court. India's main opposition Congress has meanwhile, decided not to field any candidate against Mamata. Also read: Mamata Banerjee sworn in as Bengal CM "The Congress feels that by fielding a candidate against the Chief Minister, it may indirectly help the BJP in some way and the high command does not want to do that," West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told the media. On May 2, Mamata single-handedly pulled off a landslide victory in the assembly election for the third time in a row, bucking anti-incumbency and staving off a massive challenge from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. In June, Mamata moved the high court to declare Suvendu's election win null and void on the grounds that he had indulged in corrupt practices and sought votes on the basis of religion.  "Suvendu Adhikari has indulged in several corrupt practices that have enhanced his winning chances and materially altered Mamata Banerjee's chances of success in the election," her petition read. Also read: Bucking anti-incumbency, Mamata scores a hat-trick in Bengal In her petition, Mamata also alleged discrepancies in the counting of votes, Mamata's lawyer had said. West Bengal had 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 nearly 50 years of Communist and Trinamool Congress rule.