Mamata Banerjee takes over as Bengal TMC chief amid internal party rift

Amid an internal party crisis, Mamata Banerjee took on the role of West Bengal TMC president, appointing Madan Mitra and Kunal Ghosh as general secretaries. This follows the resignation of Chandrima Bhattacharya and a rebel faction's actions.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced that she will also assume the role of the party's state unit president and inducted Madan Mitra and Kunal Ghosh into the state committee as General Secretaries.

"As the AITC Chairperson, I announce that from today, I will also assume the role of the West Bengal state TMC President. Two more individuals--Madan Mitra and Kunal Ghosh--have been inducted into the party committee. Both have been appointed as General Secretaries of this committee," Banerjee said in a video message.

Internal Rift and Resignations

The development comes amid an internal organisational rift within the party and after a rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee "took control" of the party headquarters. As this happened, West Bengal TMC president and former Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Saturday resigned from all party posts.

The resignation comes at a time of high drama in West Bengal politics, as the property owner of the TMC's state party office in Kolkata locked the premises from the inside following reports that a rebel faction, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Ritabrata Banerjee, had taken possession of the building.

In her resignation letter addressed to Mamata Banerjee, Bhattacharya stated that she was stepping down from the post of State President conferred upon her in June 2026. She also withdrew herself as the authorised signatory for the party's bank accounts and as 'Didi's' authorised person before the Election Commission of India.

Rebel Faction Announces New Leadership

Ritabrata earlier announced the constitution of a new leadership structure for the All India Trinamool Congress Committee and appointed Arup Roy as its chairperson. They also constituted a 30-member National Working Committee (NWC), while reiterating that he wanted Mamata Banerjee to play the role of mentor in the TMC.

He said the 30-member committee includes Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh, Sabina Yasmin, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha and others, while Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin have been appointed as vice-presidents.

Ritabrata Banerjee reiterated that Mamata Banerjee should remain associated with the organisation as a mentor. "We want Didi to assume the responsibility of a mentor and guide us," he said.

The faction claims the support of at least 58 of the party's 80 MLAs. It has also formed a 30-member National Working Committee (NWC), stating that Mamata Banerjee should continue to play the role of mentor within the party.

MPs Defect to Another Party

Additionally, 20 TMC MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, declared a merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). (ANI)

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