(T)oo (M)uch (C)haos? Mamata Banerjee's party faces its biggest crisis — Latest developments

NEW DELHI: Trinamool means "grassroots" — a name chosen by Mamata Banerjee when she founded the party in 1998 to project it as a movement powered from the ground up. But on Wednesday, the castle that Mamata built for over two decades seemed vulnearable and perhaps facing its greatest crisis.

In an unprecedented revolt, that has drawn parallels from when Shiv Sena broke in 2022, 58 rebel TMC MLAs led by expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee claimed control of the Trinamool Congress legislature party and alleged that they have secured recognition from assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose.

The rebellion comes a month after election results were declared in the West Bengal. Then-CM Mamata had claimed that her party would secure 226 seats (they won 80).

While the dissidents continue to acknowledge Mamata Banerjee as their leader, they have openly rejected the authority of her nephew in the functioning of the legislature party.

As the crisis unfolded, the party dissolved all its committees across West Bengal, senior leader Firhad Hakim secured approval to resign as Kolkata Mayor, and the Enforcement Directorate summoned Abhishek Banerjee in the teachers' recruitment scam probe.

Together, these developments show that TMC is battling challenges on multiple fronts and facing perhaps the most turbulent moment in its history.

Here are the latest developments:

Rebels claim majority

Expelled TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee claimed that 58 MLAs had backed him as the new leader of the opposition and that assembly speaker Rathindra Bose had accepted the dissident camp's claim.

The dissident camp, submitted letters of support from 58 MLAs before the Speaker, comfortably crossing the two-thirds mark required under anti-defection provisions.

"Our claim has been accepted by the Speaker," Ritabrata Banerjee told reporters after meeting the Speaker.

Claiming legitimacy through numbers, he said: "The TMC legislative party is a team of 58 MLAs who won on the TMC symbol. We are the real TMC now in the Assembly."

The Speaker's acceptance effectively formalised the first split in the TMC's 28-year history.

Rebel's unveil leadership team unveiled
Following recognition of the rebel bloc, the dissidents announced a new leadership structure. Ritabrata Banerjee was named leader of the opposition, while Akhruzzaman was appointed chief whip.

Senior legislators Javed Ahmed Khan, Sandipan Saha, Sabina Yasmin and Shiuli Saha were designated deputy leaders. Several veteran lawmakers, including Samar Mukhopadhyay, Arup Roy, Rathin Ghosh, Javed Khan and Prasun Banerjee, were also reported to have joined the rebellion.

Mamata accepted, Abhishek rejected
Despite challenging the existing leadership structure, the rebels stopped short of directly confronting Mamata 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," Ritabrata said.

"We would request Mamata Banerjee to play the role of chief adviser to the legislative party," he said.

TMC dissolves all committees
As the crisis escalated, the party leadership announced a sweeping organisational overhaul.

"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," the party said in a statement.

Political observers viewed the move as an acknowledgement that the dispute had evolved beyond routine factionalism into a battle for control of the party itself.

The rebellion traces its roots to the controversy surrounding the selection of the Leader of the Opposition after the elections.

Firhad Hakim steps down as Kolkata Mayor
In another setback for the TMC, senior leader Firhad Hakim secured Mamata Banerjee's approval to resign as Kolkata Mayor.

"At that time, he was asked not to resign. However, he again requested Mamata Banerjee today to allow him to step down, following which she agreed," TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh told reporters.

Hakim had earlier cited difficulties in functioning after the BJP came to power in West Bengal. His resignation comes amid uncertainty within the party and follows a series of resignations by councillors in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

One of the TMC's most prominent minority faces, Hakim has served as Kolkata Mayor since 2018 and remains a key figure in the party.

ED summons Abhishek Banerjee
Enforcement Directorate also summoned TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the primary teachers' recruitment scam.

Agency officials served a notice directing him to appear on June 15. The summons is linked to an ongoing money-laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment and suspected financial misconduct.

The ED has already attached and seized properties worth Rs 154 crore in the case. Earlier this year, assets worth around Rs 57.78 crore were attached in connection with the wider school recruitment scam. The probe gained national attention after the 2022 arrest of former education minister Partha Chatterjee, following the recovery of cash and valuables linked to the alleged jobs-for-cash racket.

(With inputs from agencies)