The battle for control of the Trinamool Congress escalated sharply on Monday as the rebel faction led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee convened a special session in Kolkata and announced a new organisational leadership structure. Meeting at a five-star hotel in New Town, the dissident camp declared itself the “real Trinamool Congress” and elected senior MLA Arup Roy as chairperson of a newly constituted national working committee.
The rebel TMC faction suspended Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee from their party posts, escalating the battle for control of the organisation.
Rebels Name New Leadership
The special session brought together rebel MLAs, councillors and former elected representatives from across West Bengal. Organisers said the meeting was necessary to address what they described as a constitutional crisis within the party.
Addressing the gathering, Ritabrata Banerjee argued that the Trinamool Congress constitution required a national working committee to be reconstituted every three years and claimed the previous committee, formed in February 2022, had not been renewed after its term expired.
The rebel camp subsequently announced a new national working committee, initially comprising key leaders including Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Biplab Mitra, Akhruzzaman Ansari, Sabina Yasmin, Sandipan Saha, Rathin Ghosh and Javed Khan. The panel was later expanded to 30 members.
Arup Roy was elected chairperson by voice vote, while Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin were named vice-chairpersons. Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan and Sandipan Saha were appointed general secretaries.
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Challenge To Mamata
The symbolism of the event was hard to miss. While the party symbol remained on display, portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and BR Ambedkar adorned the stage. Notably absent were photographs of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
The organisational reshuffle comes amid a deepening crisis within the TMC following its electoral defeat. The rebel camp claims the support of around 65 MLAs and says its strength extends beyond the Assembly to local bodies and Parliament.
Political observers view Monday’s developments as a decisive attempt by the dissident faction to establish an alternative power centre within the party. While the legality and legitimacy of the new structure remain open to challenge, the struggle for ownership of the Trinamool Congress has clearly moved beyond the legislature and into the party’s organisational core.
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