TMC Faces Fresh Turmoil as Expelled MLA Claims Support of Majority Legislators
A fresh political storm appears to be brewing within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee claimed that a majority of the party’s legislators support his bid to become the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
The development comes less than a month after TMC suffered a major electoral setback in West Bengal, where the BJP, led by Suvendu Adhikari, secured a decisive victory and formed the government.
On Wednesday, Ritabrata Banerjee arrived at the Assembly with a letter reportedly backed by 58 of TMC’s 80 MLAs. The document proposes Mamata Banerjee as the party leader while naming Ritabrata as the Leader of the Opposition. It also suggests a new team of deputy leaders, signaling open dissent against the party’s official choice, veteran leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.
The rebel camp insists that a large section of TMC legislators are unwilling to accept Chattopadhyay’s leadership in the Assembly. Expelled MLA Sandipan Saha claimed that more than two-thirds of the party’s legislators support their group, a number that could be crucial if any future political realignment takes place under anti-defection rules.
The internal unrest has become increasingly visible in recent weeks. Attendance at key party meetings has steadily declined, with many MLAs skipping gatherings organized by Mamata Banerjee following the election defeat.
Adding to the controversy, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha recently alleged that their signatures were forged in official party communication submitted to the Assembly regarding the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition. Shortly afterward, both leaders were expelled from the party for alleged anti-party activities.
Defending their actions, the expelled leaders accused the TMC leadership of suppressing dissent and refusing to accept responsibility for the electoral defeat. Ritabrata also criticized the party’s post-election strategy, claiming that leaders were expected to celebrate despite the poor performance at the polls.
Meanwhile, speculation about a possible split within TMC has intensified. Some party insiders have compared the situation to the political upheavals witnessed in Maharashtra, where factional rebellions led to major shifts in power and party control.
Mamata Banerjee has blamed external pressure and accused rival forces of attempting to destabilize her party. Senior TMC leaders have also alleged that efforts are underway to engineer a rebellion from within.
The BJP, however, has described the situation as an internal matter for TMC. While some BJP leaders believe the crisis could deepen, the party has publicly ruled out welcoming defectors from the Trinamool Congress, emphasizing that it does not intend to replicate the political model seen in other states.
As uncertainty grows, the coming days could prove critical for TMC as it seeks to contain internal divisions and redefine its role in the opposition after its electoral defeat.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
