Expelled TMC MLA Ritabrata Banerjee says a resolution was passed in party meeting to give standing ovation to Abhishek Banerjee after party’s defeat in elections

Expelled TMC MLA Ritabrata Banerjee spilt the beans about the rebellion brewing within the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Speaking to CNN-News 18, Ritabrata Banerjee held TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and MP Abhishek Banerjee responsible for widespread corruption within the party. He said that more TMC leaders can rebel against the party leadership in the coming days.

“Currently, 61 MLAs are with us right now, so there will definitely be an increase in the numbers (of rebel leaders) before the Assembly session starts on June 18,” Banerjee said.

Rebellious voices have been rising within the TMC since the party faced a humiliating defeat in the recent assembly elections. Around 60 of the total 80 MLAs of the TMC have supported Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, opposing Mamata Banerjee’s pick, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.

While Ritabrata Banerjee avoided criticising Mamata Banerjee, he openly spoke against Abhishek Banerjee, describing him as the reason behind the internal rebellion. Ritabrata revealed that after TMC’s defeat in the assembly elections, a resolution was passed during a meeting at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence on 6th May to give a standing ovation to Abhishek.

“It was also said that the TMC did not lose the elections. Everyone was asked to give a standing ovation to Abhishek Banerjee. We may have asked where you (Abhishek) were, but I did not have the courage or capacity to defy that, so I also stood, but it was not a full standing ovation,” he said. He said that the MLAs were asked to sign an attendance sheet in the meeting, and the names of MLAs who were not present were also marked.

Ritabrata Banerjee accused Abhishek Banerjee of sending a letter for the recognition of the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly without the approval of the party MLAs. He said forged documents were submitted to the Assembly speaker. He said that Abhishek Banerjee was in denial after the election defeat, but soon came to the realisation after being beaten by the public.

“Abhishek Banerjee was in hibernation mode after the elections. Once considered a big leader, he went to a place and was publicly beaten like a thief. After that, Abhishek is not going anywhere. This is the same man who said that common people are his protection,” he said. “Unfortunately, the grassroots-level party has been hijacked. Now he has fallen. People are rejoicing, but Didi has decided to continue with him, so this is a very major issue,” Banerjee added.

Ritabrata Banerjee is claiming the post of Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, and he has the support of 58 TMC MLAs, along with expelled MLA Sandipan Saha. With Ritabrata, who is also expelled, the group has a total of 60 MLAs. The rebel MLAs have written a letter to the Speaker of the House naming him as the legislative party and rejecting the selection of Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay for the post.

The rebel group has alleged that signatures of several MLAs were forged on party documents electing the leader of the opposition. A polie case already has been registered on this matter.

Written by Aditi
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