'You could not criticise Abhishek': TMC rebel explains the breaking point of dissent

NEW DELHI: The rebels of the Trinamool Congress on Thursday upped their ante against Abhishek Banerjee and explained the reason for their dissent.Expelled TMC MLA Sandipan Saha told PTI that the breaking point came during a post-election meeting where legislators were allegedly told that criticism of party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee would not be tolerated despite the party's electoral setback.According to Saha, MLAs were instructed to applaud Abhishek Banerjee's leadership rather than question the reasons behind the defeat."The trigger point occurred following the party's electoral defeat. No one was permitted to utter a single word of criticism regarding Abhishek. Instead, we were instructed that he had performed exceptionally well and that everyone must rise to accord him a standing ovation," Saha said.The remark offers perhaps the clearest insight yet into what the rebels describe as growing resentment over the concentration of power around Mamata Banerjee's nephew and political heir apparent.'Humiliation' of senior leadersSaha argued that the issue is not merely electoral defeat but what is being describe as the shrinking space for dissent inside the party.Saha claimed even veteran legislators who had been in politics long before Abhishek Banerjee's rise were expected to fall in line."This included MLAs who have been serving in the Assembly since a time when Abhishek Banerjee was likely still attending school. They, too, were compelled to stand up and join in the standing ovation," he said.For many legislators, particularly those who built the party alongside Mamata Banerjee during its years of struggle against the Left front, the episode became symbolic of a broader shift within the TMC - from a movement driven by grassroots leaders to one increasingly centred around a single power centre.Several rebel leaders have privately argued that while Mamata Banerjee remains the party's undisputed mass leader, decision-making has increasingly moved into a tight circle around Abhishek Banerjee.The simmering discontent eventually erupted over the selection of the leader of opposition (LoP) in the assembly.The rebels allege that signatures of some MLAs were shown in support of senior leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay's candidature despite their absence from the process."Some MLAs were not even present for selecting the LoP, yet their names were inscribed in block letters," Saha alleged.He said objections raised by the dissident camp led to a complaint before the Speaker and eventually encouraged more legislators to come forward."When the inquiry commenced, evidence began to surface confirming the veracity of these allegations. Other MLAs began reaching out to us," he said.What began as a dispute over the opposition leadership soon evolved into a larger challenge to the party's internal power structure."After deliberating among ourselves, we concluded that if we were to effectively discharge our duties within the assembly and serve our respective constituencies, we needed to form a distinct group," Saha said.The faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha has since staked claim to the LoP post after submitting signatures of 58 MLAs to the speaker, triggering the biggest crisis of Mamata Banerjee's political career.While the TMC leadership has expelled key rebel leaders, the rebels insist the revolt is ultimately about internal democracy, accountability after defeat and resistance to what they describe as the unquestioned elevation of Abhishek Banerjee within the party.