A faction of nearly 60 Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislators is backing expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee for the Leader of the Opposition post.

This internal revolt threatens to split one of West Bengal's most powerful political entities. The movement signals a significant challenge to the authority of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the party's internal hierarchy during a period of political instability.

The unrest is centered in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly in Kolkata [1]. Reports indicate that between 59 [2] and nearly 60 [1] MLAs have aligned with Ritabrata Banerjee. This group of dissidents is reacting to the leadership style of Abhishek Banerjee, who is the nephew of the Chief Minister [1], [2].

The tension follows a recent electoral setback for the TMC. The dissident legislators have expressed frustration with the party's direction and the influence of Abhishek Banerjee over party operations [1], [2].

Political observers said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be attempting to engineer this split to weaken the TMC's hold on the state [1], [2]. The potential departure of a large bloc of MLAs would fundamentally alter the balance of power within the assembly, and could force a reconfiguration of the party's strategy in West Bengal.

While the TMC has historically maintained a tight grip on its members, the scale of this rebellion is unusual. The movement for Ritabrata Banerjee to take the Leader of the Opposition role serves as a formal mechanism for the rebels to challenge the current leadership's legitimacy [1], [2].

“Nearly 60 legislators back expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee for the Leader of the Opposition post.”

A split of nearly 60 MLAs would significantly erode the TMC's legislative majority in West Bengal. If the dissidents successfully install a different Leader of the Opposition, it would create a dual-power center within the party, potentially mirroring previous splits seen in other regional Indian parties. This instability provides a strategic opening for the BJP to gain more influence in the state assembly.