Ritabrata’s ‘real TMC’ forms new committee, removes Mamata as chairperson

Internal revolt deepens as rival factions claim organisational legitimacy in Bengal politics

West Bengal politics has seen another dramatic turn as the rebel faction led by Uluberia Purba MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, calling itself the “real Trinamool”, announced a new committee that removed Mamata Banerjee as party chairperson and suspended second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee.

The move came days after the Trinamool Congress faction aligned with Mamata Banerjee expelled Ritabrata Banerjee for alleged anti-party activities.

In a reversal, the “real Trinamool” held a meeting on Monday and formed a new committee, taking disciplinary action against Abhishek.

The rebel camp held a meeting at a hotel in New Town, attended by 60 MLAs and 70 councillors of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, The Telegraph reports.

Arup Roy, MLA from Howrah Madhya, was named the new chairperson of the party, replacing Mamata.

The group claimed the meeting was convened to address what it described as a “constitutional crisis” within the organisation.

Ritabrata argued that the party constitution required the formation of a national working committee every three years, while the last panel was constituted in February 2022.

“The organisational structure was not renewed after the expiry of its tenure. Therefore, it became necessary to initiate the process of reconstituting the party’s national leadership,” a leader present at the meeting quoted Ritabrata as saying.

With the latest development, the Trinamool Congress now stands divided into three camps -- the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool, Ritabrata Banerjee’s “real TMC”, which is now the opposition party in the Bengal Assembly, and around two dozen Lok Sabha MPs who have merged with a little-known political outfit called the National Citizens Party and are supporting the ruling NDA in Parliament.

The latest suspension has further deepened confusion over the party’s leadership and ideological control.

The rebel MPs have indicated they may approach the Supreme Court over claims to the party’s symbol, while uncertainty continues over control of the Rs 11 billion war chest.