The battle for control of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) took a dramatic turn on Monday as the rebel faction led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee announced the formation of a parallel organisational structure and appointed senior MLA Arup Roy as the chairperson of what it described as the “real” Trinamool Congress. The move represents a direct challenge to the leadership of party founder Mamata Banerjee and signals a deepening crisis within the organisation.
In another significant decision, the dissident camp declared the suspension of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, underscoring its determination to challenge not only the party’s legislative leadership but also its organisational command structure.
The latest developments mark perhaps the most serious internal revolt faced by Mamata Banerjee since the party’s defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. The TMC has been grappling with a steady exodus of leaders and growing discontent among legislators and parliamentarians, raising questions about the party’s future direction after nearly 15 years in power.
The decisions were taken at a separate meeting convened by Ritabrata Banerjee and rebel TMC legislators at a luxury hotel in New Town. The gathering was attended by several senior leaders, including Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, Asim Bose, Jui Biswas and Tarak Singh, along with councillors, former elected representatives and party functionaries from districts across the state.
According to the rebel camp, the meeting was called to address what it termed a “constitutional crisis” within the party. Speaking at the event, Ritabrata Banerjee argued that the TMC’s constitution requires the formation of a national working committee every three years. Since the committee constituted in February 2022 had completed its tenure without being reconstituted, he contended that the existing organisational setup had effectively lost its legitimacy.
The gathering subsequently approved the creation of a new national working committee. Initially comprising key leaders such as Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Biplab Mitra, Akhruzzaman Ansari, Sabina Yasmin, Sandipan Saha, Rathin Ghosh, Javed Khan and Ritabrata Banerjee, the committee was later expanded to include 30 members.
Arup Roy, a veteran legislator from Howrah Central, was then elected chairperson through a voice vote. Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin were appointed vice-chairpersons. Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan and Sandipan Saha were named general secretaries, while Akhruzzaman Ansari was entrusted with the role of treasurer. The newly formed body also resolved to appoint an independent auditor to scrutinise the party’s finances.
The dissident faction insisted that the committee constituted on Monday represents the legitimate continuation of the Trinamool Congress, arguing that the existing leadership had failed to follow the organisational procedures mandated by the party constitution.
Sources aligned with the rebel camp claimed that nearly 60 MLAs and a substantial number of councillors—including several from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation—either participated in the meeting or expressed support for the resolutions adopted there.
The rebellion has been gathering momentum for weeks. Earlier, a majority of TMC legislators reportedly backed Ritabrata Banerjee’s claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition, rejecting the candidate supported by the Mamata Banerjee-led leadership. Since then, the dissident camp has asserted that it enjoys the support of around 65 MLAs in the Assembly.
The crisis has also extended beyond the state legislature. In a major setback for the party at the national level, at least 20 of the TMC’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs broke away from the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party and merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), while extending support to the BJP-led NDA. The development has sharply reduced the party’s strength in Parliament and further intensified the struggle over the future of the Trinamool Congress.
With rival camps now claiming legitimacy and organisational authority, the conflict within the TMC appears to be entering a decisive phase, one that could reshape West Bengal’s political landscape in the months ahead.
