TMC dissolves all party committees, frontal organizations across Bengal
What's the story
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has decided to dissolve all its party committees and frontal organizations in West Bengal. This decision comes after 60 out of 80 MLAs openly defied the party's leadership by supporting recently expelled Ritabrata Banerjee for the Leader of Opposition position. Per reports, Ritabrata on Wednesday reached the Assembly along with 59 other legislators backing him for the LoP position. Mamata Banerjee had earlier endorsed Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for the role.
Official announcement
TMC vows to conduct 'comprehensive exercise of introspection'
After the incident, the TMC said in a post on X, "After careful consideration, it has been decided that all committees of the All India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, as well as all its frontal organizations, shall stand dissolved with immediate effect." The party also pledged to conduct a "comprehensive exercise of introspection" and promised to reconstitute its organizational structure based on the findings.
Expulsion and allegations
Ritabrata Banerjee was expelled along with Sandipan Saha
Ritabrata was expelled along with Sandipan Saha after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari claimed that they complained to Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose about forged signatures on a communication endorsing Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition. Chattopadhyay, a Trinamool veteran, is the only MLA in Bengal to win 10 consecutive Assembly elections. He has been with Mamata since the founding of TMC in 1998 and has held several ministerial portfolios.
Party unrest
Internal crisis in TMC as MLAs skip meetings
After their expulsion, Ritabrata and Sandipan were seen meeting several TMC legislators at the MLA Hostel in Kolkata. This has led to speculation of a "new group" within the TMC. Several of the party's 80 MLAs also recently skipped meetings called by Mamata. In fact, when Mamata took to the streets of Kolkata to protest post-poll violence and the attack on her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, only eight MLAs joined her.
External perspective
Rebels still want Mamata as leader
The eight MLAs who stood with Banerjee during her protest are Nayna Bandyopadhyay, Firhad Hakim, Kunal Ghosh, Biman Bandopadhyay, Sovondeb Chattopadhyay, Madan Mitra, Ashok Deb and Asima Patra. Many of them have been loyal to Banerjee since 1998 when she joined the TMC. The rebels have stated in their letter that they recognize Mamata as their leader but want Ritabrata as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.