A group of 58 MLAs in West Bengal has rebelled against the Trinamool Congress, forming a breakaway faction called "Asli TMC" [1].
This split represents a significant crisis for the party's internal stability and challenges the established leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The movement threatens to alter the legislative balance within the state assembly by creating a formal divide between loyalists and the new faction.
The rebellion is led by Ritabrata Banerjee, a first-time Trinamool Congress MLA [1]. In recent weeks, the group organized to back Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition [1]. To formalize this challenge, the 58 legislators submitted their signatures to claim opposition status [1], [2].
Internal tensions drove the fracture. The rebelling lawmakers said they resented the influence of Abhishek Banerjee within the party [3]. Additionally, the group said the alleged misuse of attendance signatures for internal party resolutions was a primary grievance [2], [3].
The emergence of Asli TMC marks one of the largest internal ruptures the party has faced. While the group seeks to establish itself as the legitimate voice of the opposition, the move places the party's organizational structure under intense pressure, especially as the dissidents leverage their collective numbers to demand a shift in leadership.
“58 MLAs in West Bengal has rebelled against the Trinamool Congress”
The formation of Asli TMC signals a breakdown in the internal power-sharing dynamics of the Trinamool Congress, specifically regarding the rise of Abhishek Banerjee. By leveraging the signatures of 58 legislators, the dissidents are attempting to use official legislative rules to force a leadership change, which could potentially weaken the Chief Minister's grip on the state assembly.
