Madan Mitra, Mamata's trusted aide, joins rebel Trinamool camp
What's the story
In a major setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), senior leader Madan Mitra, one of Mamata Banerjee's most trusted aides, has resigned and joined the rebel camp led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. The development comes after the Enforcement Directorate summoned Mitra's family, including his wife and two sons, in connection with a money laundering probe linked to an alleged municipal recruitment scam.
Party turmoil
Mitra's exit bolsters rebel faction ahead of political battles
Before Mitra, two other close aides of Mamata, former Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mondal and TMC veteran Rabindranath Ghosh, joined the rebel camp.
The power struggle intensified after Ritabrata and his supporters took control of the party headquarters, announcing a parallel organizational structure.
This move deepened the split within the TMC and is seen as a boost for the rebel faction ahead of upcoming political contests, especially the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections.
Mitra
Mitra blames Abhishek for move
Speaking to reporters after joining the rebel camp, Mitra said, "I have only changed my room, not my house. I am very much in the TMC."
He also blamed Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee for his move.
"I had suggested to Abhishek...that he step aside for six months or a year...but he refused," Mitra said.
"The party is sinking... Yet, the party decided, or rather it was forced to accept that everyone else could die, but Abhishek had to be saved."
Profile
Mitra was one of Trinamool's 80 leaders who won seat
Mitra was one of Trinamool's 80 leaders who won the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections. He won his Kamarhati seat in an election swept by the BJP, which took power in the state for the first time.
Since the defeat, Mamata has been facing repeated setbacks.
At first, over 60 of its 80 MLAs broke away under Ritabrata's leadership.
Within weeks, 20 Lok Sabha MPs merged with the little-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to support the BJP-led NDA.