Rebel leaders within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) said 58 MLAs support a resolution to name expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of Opposition.

This movement represents a significant internal challenge to the party leadership in West Bengal. The push to install an expelled member in a high-ranking legislative role suggests a deepening fracture within the party's ranks, one that could threaten the stability of the current administration.

The conflict centers on a power struggle following the expulsion of Ritabrata Banerjee. While the party leadership moved to remove him, a faction of the party has remained loyal to him. These rebel leaders said that 58 MLAs [1] have backed the resolution to support Banerjee for the Leader of Opposition post.

The developments are unfolding in Kolkata, where the TMC has traditionally maintained a strong grip on political machinery. The rebellion indicates that the internal crisis is no longer limited to a few dissenting voices but has expanded to a sizeable group of lawmakers.

By backing an expelled member, the rebel MLAs are challenging the authority of the party's central command. This move places the party in a precarious position regarding legislative discipline, and party loyalty. The resolution serves as a formal mechanism for the rebels to signal their dissatisfaction with the current direction of the party.

Observers in West Bengal are monitoring whether this rift will lead to a formal split or if the leadership can negotiate a resolution with the dissenting MLAs. The scale of the reported support—nearly 60 legislators—creates a complex dynamic for the party's legislative strategy in the state assembly.

“58 MLAs back expelled Ritabrata Banerjee”

The reported support of 58 MLAs for an expelled member indicates a critical breakdown in party discipline within the TMC. If these numbers are accurate, the party faces a legitimacy crisis where a substantial portion of its legislative wing is actively working against the central leadership's decisions, potentially weakening the party's governing mandate in West Bengal.