Politics
Rebels Oust Mamata Banerjee as TMC Party Chairperson
Ritabrata Banerjee claims 65 MLAs support parallel leadership
Ritabrata Banerjee claims 65 MLAs support parallel leadership
For the first time in its 28-year history, 's faces a formal split as 58 rebel oust her as chairperson and install a parallel leadership. This dramatic fracture, driven by internal dissent and claims of support from nearly 65 of 80 , threatens Banerjee's decades-long dominance and could force the to decide which faction controls the party's iconic symbol.
The Mamata Banerjee-led submitted a fresh list of to the to counter the 's leadership challenge and reaffirm her position as the party chairperson.
Mamata Banerjee filed the fresh list of office bearers to directly counter the rebel faction's leadership challenge, which ousted her as chairperson, and to reaffirm her official position as the party leader before the Election Commission decides which faction controls the party symbol.
This filing affects the entire Trinamool Congress party structure, specifically the 58 rebel MLAs who installed a parallel leadership, and the Election Commission of India, which must now determine which faction, Banerjee's or the rebels', legally controls the party's iconic symbol and name.
Ritabrata Banerjee announced that the rebel faction will formally approach the to notify the leadership change, potentially seeking recognition for their parallel structure as the 'real' .
They are filing with the Election Commission to seek official recognition of their parallel leadership as the legitimate Trinamool Congress, which could determine control over the party's iconic symbol and legal standing.
The official TMC leadership disputed Ritabrata Banerjee's claims, rejected the rebel moves, and reaffirmed Mamata Banerjee's leadership, signaling the start of a in West Bengal's ruling party.
This is a formal split because the official leadership has publicly rejected the rebel faction's authority and reaffirmed Mamata Banerjee as the sole leader, creating two competing claims over the party's identity and control.
The rebel faction announced a new with Arup Roy as chairperson, Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh, and Sabina Yasmin as vice-chairpersons, and Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan, and Sandipan Saha as .
The rebels formed a full National Working Committee including one chairperson, four vice-chairpersons, and three general secretaries, establishing a complete parallel leadership structure to replace the original party hierarchy.
Rebels also suspended Abhishek Banerjee, MP from , as the of the party, further dismantling the existing leadership hierarchy.
Abhishek Banerjee, the MP from Diamond Harbour, was suspended as the national general secretary, further dismantling the existing leadership hierarchy and removing a key figure from the party.
He was removed as part of the rebels' broader effort to dismantle the existing leadership hierarchy, signaling a complete takeover of the party's national executive roles by the rebel faction.
Veteran MLA Arup Roy from Howrah Central was elected chairperson by voice vote, becoming the head of the parallel TMC structure and replacing Mamata Banerjee.
Arup Roy was elected through a voice vote, a quick and informal method used by the rebel faction to immediately establish a new leadership hierarchy without a formal ballot.
At the special session, 58 rebel MLAs led by Ritabrata Banerjee unanimously voted to remove Mamata Banerjee as , marking the first leadership ouster in the party's 28-year history.
The ouster was led by Ritabrata Banerjee, a first-time MLA who was previously expelled, along with 58 other rebel MLAs representing more than two-thirds of the party's newly elected members.
Rebels announced a special session of TMC leaders and members at a five-star hotel in New Town to address leadership concerns, restructure the party, and potentially oust the current chairperson.
Rebels announced a special session at a five-star hotel in New Town to address leadership concerns and restructure the party. The meeting aims to potentially oust the current chairperson, leveraging the rebels' majority to formally challenge Mamata Banerjee's authority and redefine the party's leadership.
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee formally organized the rebel camp, claiming active support from approximately 65 of the 80 TMC MLAs in the Assembly and preparing for a to address the party's constitutional crisis.
Ritabrata Banerjee formally organized the rebel camp, claiming active support from approximately 65 of the 80 TMC MLAs in the Assembly. This represents over 81% of the legislature party, giving the rebels a decisive majority to address the constitutional crisis and prepare for a special session.
A majority of TMC MLAs rejected the nominee proposed by Mamata Banerjee and instead elected Ritabrata Banerjee as the , marking the first public sign of internal fracture and consolidating the rebel faction.
A majority of TMC MLAs rejected Mamata Banerjee's nominee and elected Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition. This marked the first public sign of internal fracture, consolidating the rebel faction and signaling a direct challenge to the party's established leadership structure in the Assembly.
On May 2, 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the challenging the , setting a legal backdrop for future leadership disputes within the party.
The Supreme Court dismissed the petition on May 2, 2026, upholding the Election Commission's authority to oversee party leadership disputes. This ruling sets a critical legal precedent for future internal conflicts within the Trinamool Congress, confirming that the Commission can intervene in factional battles over control of the party symbol.