Ritabrata Banerjee was recognized as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on June 3, 2026 [4].
The development signals a major split within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after the party suffered a defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. This internal revolt threatens the stability of the party's remaining influence in the state legislature.
Banerjee is backed by a significant faction of rebel legislators. While some reports state 59 MLAs support him [2], other sources confirm 58 MLAs have backed his leadership [1]. This represents a substantial portion of the 80 total TMC MLAs in the assembly [3].
"The TMC legislature party is a team of 58 MLAs who won on party symbol and two other MLAs likely to join us," Banerjee said [1].
The split has triggered a series of political shifts in Kolkata. Amid the turmoil, Firhad Hakim resigned as the mayor of Kolkata after receiving approval from party chief Mamata Banerjee [4].
Mamata Banerjee has responded to the party's decline by seeking broader alliances. She has called for a "joint platform," and pushed for opposition unity following the poll loss [3].
The rapid descent into open revolt occurred in less than two weeks following the election results. Observers have compared the situation to the split that previously affected the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra — a battle of TMC versus TMC.
“The TMC legislature party is a team of 58 MLAs who won on party symbol”
The recognition of Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition formalizes a legislative schism that strips Mamata Banerjee of her party's cohesion. By losing a majority of her MLAs to a rebel faction, the TMC is no longer a monolithic force, potentially shifting the balance of power in the West Bengal Assembly and forcing the party to rely on external alliances to remain politically relevant.
