Mamata Banerjee: The internal conflicts and power struggle within West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party have reached an unprecedented level of intensity. While party chief Mamata Banerjee (Didi) is making intense efforts to consolidate her grip, the rebel faction is delivering shock after shock and throwing down the gauntlet. These developments are creating a massive sensation in Bengal’s political landscape.
After the government presented the budget in the West Bengal Assembly, rebel MLAs and leaders gathered in large numbers in Kolkata’s New Town. At this meeting, attended by nearly 500 district presidents, councillors, and senior leaders, Ritabrata Banerjee, who is leading the rebel faction, made a sensational announcement — that Mamata Banerjee is being removed from the post of party president. He also revealed that Farhad Hakim, one of Mamata’s most crucial loyalists and former Mayor of Kolkata, had joined their group. Although the Trinamool election symbol was retained at the meeting, the complete removal of photographs of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee reflects the changed equations within the party.
The rebel faction formed an alternative National Working Committee of 30 members and declared themselves the true Trinamool Congress. They elected MLA Arup Roy as Chairman/Chairperson, Farhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh, and Sabina Yasmin as Vice Presidents, and Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan, and Sandipan Saha as General Secretaries.
Speaking on the occasion, Ritabrata Banerjee stated that the new leadership was elected by unanimous decision of the delegates and that district committees would also be announced soon. However, he made it clear that they have no intention of sidelining Mamata entirely, and that she would be welcome if she wishes to remain as a guide or chief advisor to the party. He disclosed that the decisions of this new committee would be communicated to the Election Commission of India shortly.
Mamata Banerjee Strikes Back
The very day after the dissident faction removed her from the party president’s responsibilities, Mamata Banerjee moved swiftly to prove her dominance. She prepared a new list under the name ‘National Working Committee’ and sent it to the Election Commission of India, with Mamata herself included as Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). Through this move, she sent a strong signal to political circles that full authority and rights over the party still rest with her.
Crisis Deepens… Show-Cause Notices to Senior Leaders
Notably, Farhad Hakim, who recently resigned as Mayor of Kolkata, remarked that he is unable to function effectively under the current conditions within the government. With figures like Farhad Hakim and Arup Biswas — once among Mamata’s closest confidants — joining the dissident faction, the party has been plunged into a serious crisis.
Meanwhile, the TMC leadership issued show-cause notices to several senior leaders on charges of engaging in anti-party activities. Those reported to have received notices include Arup Roy, Arup Biswas, Farhad Hakim, Rathin Ghosh, Javed Khan, and Sabina Yasmin, among others. With both factions taking tit-for-tat decisions and a flurry of show-cause notices, Bengal’s politics has suddenly heated up dramatically. Curiosity and suspense about which direction the future of Trinamool Congress will turn is being expressed everywhere.