'No Rift Between Mamata Banerjee and Prashant Kishor, We Are One Team': TMC

TMC said that recent reports of a rupture in their collaboration was "hugely speculative and unsubstantiated".

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (left) and election strategist Prashant Kishor. 

(Photo: Arnica Kala/The Quint)

The Trinamool Congress, on Thursday, 23 December, clarified that there is no rift between Mamata Banerjee and Prashant Kishor's outfit Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC).

The party tweeted on Thursday that recent reports of a rupture in their collaboration is "hugely speculative and unsubstantiated". The party clarified that both worked as "one team" and would continue to do so.

"There is absolutely NO MERIT in the hugely speculative and unsubstantiated reporting regarding the difference of opinion or working relationship between the TMC (Trinamool Congress) and I-PAC. Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, we work as one team and will continue to collaborate in the future," Trinamool Congress tweeted.

TMC's clarification follows the statement of senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien pointing out the distinction between his party and Prashant Kishor's I-PAC.

Derek O'Brien had on Wednesday, 22 December, emphasized that Prashant Kishor's outfit "is distinct from the Trinamool" and is working on deliverables.

O'Brien said that Kishor's I-PAC is a political collaborator and does not reflect the party's opinion. He told PTI, "TMC is the first political party to have hired I-PAC for five years, and they have certain deliverables to do. I-PAC has a reach out on the ground, communication and social media. All this is evaluated by the national working committee chaired by Mamata Banerjee."

Kishor is the country's top election strategist and was seen to have powered Mamata Banerjee's victory in the Bengal polls earlier this year.

(With inputs from NDTV)