A major political storm has struck Bengal. Following a meeting in Newtown this evening, the rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress removed Mamata Banerjee from the post of Trinamool Chairperson. Howrah Central MLA Arup Roy has been appointed as the new Chairperson. Furthermore, the “real Trinamool” faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee and others suspended Abhishek Banerjee from the post of All India General Secretary of the party.
The budget session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly was held on Monday. Following the session, the rebel Trinamool MLAs held a meeting at a hotel in Newtown. Sixty Trinamool MLAs attended the meeting, along with approximately 70 former councillors from Kolkata. The formation of a 30-member Trinamool committee was announced at this meeting.
500 Trinamool Congress leaders, from district level to MLA level, gathered at a city hotel to participate in a special session of the AITC. At least 16 district presidents, former MLAs, 60-70 councilors, and rebel MLAs were present. The National Working Committee was formed there.
New National Working Committee of Trinamool Congress
National President – Arup Roy
National General Secretary – Sandipan Saha (expelled MLA), Javed Khan, and Ritabrata Banerjee
Vice Presidents – Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh
Now Focusing on TMC’s Bank Accounts
The rebel faction held a special session of the Trinamool Congress at a city hotel. Citing the TMC’s constitution, current and former MLAs, district presidents, and councilors gathered to form a National Working Committee and replaced Mamata Banerjee with MLA Arup Roy as chairperson. They will also form frontal organizations within the next 21 days. Legal advice is being sought on how to retain Trinamool’s bank accounts.
Following this major maneuver by the rebel MLAs and councilors, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has also begun its own game. The official TMC camp has categorically rejected this rebellion. The party has sent a new revised list to the Election Commission (ECI), clarifying that Mamata Banerjee is the legitimate president of the party.
Until the Election Commission (ECI) makes a final decision on this dispute, Mamata Banerjee remains the legally recognized head of the party’s name, logo, and symbol.
The rebel faction will have to approach the Election Commission to fully take control of the TMC and regain the party’s name or symbol. Meanwhile, the official TMC faction is also initiating disqualification proceedings against the rebel MLAs under the Anti-Defection Law. Therefore, who will have full control of the party will largely depend on the Election Commission and the legal proceedings.