Rebel TMC faction with 58 MLAs is now principal opposition in Bengal

Expelled TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee's faction, claiming support of 58 MLAs, has been recognised as the principal opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. The rebel group also stated that they want Mamata Banerjee to be their chief advisor.

Rebel Faction Gains Opposition Status

In fast-moving political developments in West Bengal, expelled Trinamool Congress legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, who had claimed support of 58 MLAs, on Wednesday said that they have been "accepted as the principal opposition" in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly and that the Speaker has granted "us our claim".

Addressing a press conference, Ritabrata Banerjee also said that they want Trinamool Congress chief and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "to be our chief advisor".

Ritabrata Banerjee claimed the support of two-thirds of TMC's 80 newly elected MLAs. "This two-thirds strong legislative team of the Trinamool Congress inside the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly does not believe in 'I', it believes in 'we'. Whatever norms are framed out, we have followed every norm, and that's why we have been accepted as the principal opposition in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly," he said.

"We want Mamata Banerjee to be our chief advisor, to give us advice that will help us in strengthening our position as the opposition. Eighty members were elected by the Trinamool Congress symbol. More than two-thirds of them have given our claim, and the claim has been accepted," he added.

Ritabrata Banerjee said they were going one step at a time. "We have claimed that the legislative party belongs to these MLAs. Two-thirds of the MLAs who have won in the symbol of the Trinomial Congress. The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly, the Speaker, has granted us our claim. So we want to go one step forward, one step at a time," he said.

The internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress deepened on Wednesday as a group of rebel MLAs, including expelled party leaders Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, claimed the backing of 58 legislators in the West Bengal Assembly and rejected the party leadership's choice, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, for the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP).

A letter submitted to Speaker Rathindranath Bose had sought LoP position for Ritabrata Banerjee and also claimed the post of Chief Whip for the faction. The letter also had names for the position of Deputy LoPs.

Ritabrata Banerjee Slams Abhishek Banerjee

Ritabrata Banerjee also lashed out at Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. "Abhishek Banerjee will have absolutely no role in it. Neither our legislative party nor the party organisation has any connection whatsoever with him. Nor does the public have any connection with him. The people of Bengal have absolutely no connection with him. If there were a connection, he wouldn't have remained in hiding for 26 days; he would have stepped out. He was beaten just as thieves are beaten," he said.

"After getting beaten, he made a statement claiming that since the public was on his side, the public itself would arrange for his security... On that day, after being beaten like a thief, Abhishek Banerjee had declared that the public would protect him. Yet, it was observed that he had submitted a letter to the Central Government requesting an enhancement of his security," he added.

Ritabrata Banerjee said Speaker of the West Bengal assembly can write to Lok Sabha Speaker to can Abhishek Banerjee's membership in alleged forged signature case. "As far as the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly is concerned, Abhishek Banerjee has no relation with this Legislative Assembly. As a member of the Parliament, he has sent a letter earlier with forged documents. So it is the prerogative of the Speaker. What he will do, I don't know... If such a thing has happened and it is proved, then the Speaker of this legislative assembly can write to cancel the membership of Abhishek Banerjee from the Lok Sabha of India," he said.

TMC Dissolves All Committees Amidst Crisis

Trinamool Congress (AITC) on Wednesday announced the dissolution of all its committees in West Bengal, along with all its frontal organisations, as part of a major organisational overhaul aimed at restructuring and strengthening the party.

"After careful consideration, it has been decided that all committees of the All India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, as well as all its frontal organisations, shall stand dissolved with immediate effect," TMC said in a post on X.

"The party will undertake a comprehensive exercise of introspection, performance review and organisational assessment at every level. Based on the findings of this exercise, the organisational structure of the parent body and all frontal organisations will be reconstituted and announced in due course. The party remains committed to strengthening its organisation and preparing it to meet future challenges with renewed vigour and purpose," the post added.

Trinamool Congress lost the recent assembly polls in West Bengal and BJP has formed its first government in the state. (ANI)

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