At least 58 MLAs of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have backed expelled member Ritabrata Banerjee to stake a claim for a separate assembly bloc.
This internal fracture threatens the stability of the party's control over the West Bengal state legislative assembly. The scale of the dissent suggests a systemic breakdown in party discipline during a period of heightened political tension in Kolkata.
The revolt centers on disputes over party leadership, alleged hypocrisy regarding defections, and disagreements over the selection of the opposition leader. While the TMC has officially expelled two MLAs [2], the broader rebellion includes senior figures such as Kalyan Banerjee and actor-politician Shatabdi Roy.
Nilanjan Das, a TMC spokesperson, said defectors are "opportunists" and "traitors" [1]. The party has faced public criticism from opposition figures regarding its handling of internal discipline. Shehzad Poonawalla, a representative for the BJP, said the TMC is hypocritical over defections [1].
Some members of the dissenting faction have expressed emotional conflict over the split. Shatabdi Roy said the move was a "politically right decision, morally wrong; I miss you Didi" [3].
The movement to form a separate bloc follows the expulsion of Ritabrata Banerjee. While some reports emphasize the immediate expulsion of two lawmakers [2], other accounts indicate a much larger faction of 58 legislators is actively aligning against the current leadership [1]. This disparity highlights the volatile nature of the current party split as members weigh their loyalty against political survival.
“Defectors are "opportunists" and "traitors".”
The emergence of a separate bloc comprising 58 MLAs could fundamentally alter the legislative math in West Bengal. If these lawmakers successfully decouple from the TMC, it may weaken Mamata Banerjee's grip on the assembly and provide the BJP with a strategic opening to challenge the government's majority.
