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What began as a complaint over signatures has evolved into a larger debate over leadership, dissent and control inside a party long dominated by Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee (right).
Expelled by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for alleged “anti-party activities”, MLA Ritabrata Banerjee is emerging at the centre of a brewing rebellion within the party’s legislative ranks. What began as a controversy over allegedly forged signatures on a resolution backing the TMC’s Leader of Opposition (LoP) nominee has now snowballed into a potential challenge to the party leadership itself.
CNN-News18 has learnt that more than 50 of the party’s 80 MLAs are preparing to stake claim as the “real Trinamool” and backing Banerjee for the post of Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, despite the party officially nominating veteran leader Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay for the role. The development has triggered speculation of a larger split within the opposition ranks, with political observers comparing the situation to the kind of internal ruptures seen in Maharashtra politics in recent years.
The Signature Row That Sparked The Crisis
The controversy centres on a resolution submitted to the West Bengal Assembly Secretariat endorsing Chattopadhyay as LoP. Banerjee and fellow MLA Sandipan Saha alleged that signatures of several legislators had been forged on the document. They subsequently approached Assembly Speaker Ratindra Bose, seeking an inquiry.
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Their complaint triggered a CID investigation. Several TMC MLAs have since been questioned, with some reportedly claiming that signatures appearing on the resolution were not theirs.
The TMC, however, viewed the move as an act of indiscipline. Party leaders argued that the legislators should have raised their concerns internally instead of approaching constitutional authorities. Within hours of the issue escalating, Banerjee and Saha were first suspended and then expelled from the party.
Ritabrata In Spotlight
The significance of Banerjee’s name stems from the fact that the dispute is no longer merely about alleged forgery. It has evolved into a test of authority within the TMC after the party’s defeat in the recent assembly elections.
Suspended TMC leader Riju Dutta has claimed that a large chunk of MLAs has begun rallying behind Banerjee as an alternative LoP candidate. “Trinamool has 80 MLAs. Of these, a meeting of more than 50 legislators was held on Monday afternoon at Gateway Hotel. They are saying that they are the ‘real Trinamool’ and that they will submit a new list to the Speaker, stating that there will be a different Leader of the Opposition,” the former national spokesperson of the TMC said.
He also alleged that several TMC parliamentarians were exploring a shift to the BJP. “There are 12 Lok Sabha MPs, I am giving you the exact numbers, and some Rajya Sabha MPs as well. In fact, 12 Lok Sabha MPs and 6 Rajya Sabha MPs have already made a ‘pencil booking’ with the BJP. As for the Trinamool MLAs, the BJP is not taking them right now, but they keep calling every day, saying, ‘Please take our booking, please take our booking.’ I am saying this openly.”
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The growing dissent has coincided with reports that a large number of TMC MLAs skipped recent party meetings, fuelling speculation that dissatisfaction extends beyond the two expelled legislators. While the party has dismissed suggestions of a split, the absence of dozens of legislators from key organisational meetings has raised eyebrows.
The Number Game
For Banerjee to realistically stake claim to the LoP post, he would need to demonstrate substantial support among opposition legislators. The claim assumes significance because the LoP issue has already become entangled in procedural disputes. Chattopadhyay had earlier complained that despite the TMC holding enough seats to qualify for the post, his recognition as LoP had been delayed amid questions over documentation and signatures submitted to the Assembly Secretariat.
If a sizeable bloc of legislators openly backs Banerjee, the Speaker may eventually face competing claims over who legitimately represents the opposition benches.
Test For Mamata’s Control?
Whether Banerjee ultimately becomes LoP remains uncertain. But the fact that his name is now being discussed as an alternative to the party’s officially chosen candidate underlines the seriousness of the crisis facing the TMC.
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What began as a complaint over signatures has evolved into a larger debate over leadership, dissent and control inside a party long dominated by Mamata Banerjee. If more legislators publicly side with Banerjee in the coming days, the LoP battle could become the first visible sign of a broader power struggle within Bengal’s principal opposition party.
About the Author
Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, …Read More
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