Kolkata:

The Trinamool Congress has appointed Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee as its General Secretary, it was announced Saturday, after senior leaders of Bengal’s ruling party held an organisational meeting in Kolkata – the first since a decisive victory over the BJP in the April-May election.

The party has also appointed MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as President of its women’s wing, and actor Saayoni Ghosh, who unsuccessfully contested last month’s election, as head of the youth wing.

Abhishek Banerjee, who is also Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, previously led the youth wing but will stand down from that post after his promotion, with the party following a “one person, one position formula”, senior leader Partha Chatterjee told reporters after the meeting.

Mr Chatterjee also said the party is planning on “expanding the organisation outside Bengal” – a potentially significant remark with Assembly elections due in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat next year, and Lok Sabha elections due in three years’ time.

The party has also retained Sudip Bandopadhyay and Derek O’Brien as its leaders in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, respectively.