Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee canceled a meeting at her Kalighat residence after 60 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs failed to attend [1].
The mass absence signals a potential internal rift within the ruling party during a period of heightened political tension in West Bengal. The boycott follows an alleged attack on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, which has intensified the friction between the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) [1], [2].
Only 20 of the 80 newly elected TMC MLAs arrived at the residence in Kolkata [2]. Because the vast majority of the invited legislators were missing, Banerjee said she opted to call off the scheduled gathering [2].
Reports indicate the low attendance was seen as a form of protest [1]. The timing of the boycott—occurring shortly after the reported incident involving Abhishek Banerjee—suggests a coordinated effort by the legislators to signal dissatisfaction or demand specific actions from the party leadership [1], [2].
The absence of 60 legislators [1] represents three-quarters of the newly elected group, an unusual occurrence for a meeting called by the party chief. The event was intended to bring together the legislative wing to discuss strategy, and party coordination, but the lack of quorum rendered the session untenable [2].
Political observers in the region have noted the incident on social media, describing the internal party dynamics as increasingly volatile. The failure of the legislators to assemble under the chief minister's direction highlights a rare moment of public defiance within the TMC ranks [2].
“Only 20 of the 80 newly elected TMC MLAs arrived at the residence in Kolkata”
The decision by 60 MLAs to skip a direct summons from Mamata Banerjee suggests a decline in the chief minister's absolute control over the party's newly elected wing. By linking their absence to the attack on Abhishek Banerjee, the legislators are leveraging a security crisis to exert pressure on the party leadership, indicating that internal grievances are now outweighing traditional party discipline.
