Mamata Banerjee Vows to Rebuild Party Amid Defections, Rejects Age-Related Criticism

Kolkata: West Bengal's former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee has declared her intention to rebuild her party following a series of defections after the recent Assembly election defeat. In a Facebook address on Wednesday, Banerjee dismissed suggestions that her age is a factor in her political future, stating, 'It's not about the age, it's about the mileage.'

Banerjee, 71, responded to critics who have questioned her ability to lead after her party's electoral setback. She said, 'You don't need to worry about my age. Mind, body and mental power build age. Did I ever ask about the Prime Minister's age? Don't dare to insult a human being over age. BJP people wished for me to die of heart attack on the day of the Assembly Election results. But I will survive till I see your end.'

The TMC has seen a significant internal rebellion since the Assembly election results, with many elected MLAs and MPs switching allegiance. A majority of MLAs have reportedly rallied behind rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee, while 20 Lok Sabha MPs have merged with a smaller party and declared support for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Undeterred, Mamata Banerjee vowed to rebuild the party as she has done before. 'Whoever wants to leave, can go. Whatever remains is my goldmine. I still have the power to make a fresh start in 2026 like I did it alone in 2004 and 1997. I have this much guts. I have built not one but three generations of leaders and will act as an umbrella for those generations who are with me now,' she said.

Banerjee also invoked her party's rallying cry, 'Korbo, Lorbo, Bachbo' (I will fight and I will survive), making it clear that she has no intention of retiring from politics.

The former chief minister's address comes ahead of the TMC's annual July 21 Martyrs' Day rally, which commemorates the death of 13 Congress workers during a protest in 1993, when Banerjee was president of the Youth Congress. The day has become a significant event in the TMC's political calendar.

This year, the rally will be held on Wednesday, July 21, with two rival TMC factions holding separate events about a kilometer apart. The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday permitted the Mamata Banerjee-led faction to hold its rally near the Birla Planetarium, instead of its traditional venue in front of Victoria House in central Kolkata.