Quashing speculations of rift, Mamata shares dais with Prashant Kishor

She was also seen interacting with Kishor

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R Putting to rest all speculation of a break-up with I-PAC, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared the dais with poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday at a party meeting in Kolkata.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also present on the podium during the TMC's organisational meet at Nazrul Mancha.

The TMC boss, who announced the formation of a new state committee on the occasion, was seen interacting with Kishor at the programme.

"There were certain reports of brewing differences between I-PAC and TMC. But nothing is static in politics. Situations change with time. It is good that all of us are working together," said senior TMC leader Sudip Bandopadhyay.

The recent infighting in the ruling TMC over the candidate list for civic polls had brought to the fore the alleged strain in the relationship between the TMC and Kishor-led I-PAC, with a section of media suggesting that the two might part ways.

Although the I-PAC had termed the media reports as "baseless", some senior TMC leaders had alleged that I-PAC and Kishor had been interfering in the internal matters of the party.

The TMC, after its poor show in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, hired Kishor and his firm I-PAC to prepare its campaign and poll strategy for the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls.

After the party's massive victory in the assembly polls last year, it extended I-PAC’s contract till 2026.