TMC legislature party splits in assembly, rival factions occupy separate opposition benches

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), the principal Opposition party in West Bengal, appeared visibly divided in the assembly on Thursday as rival factions occupied separate sections of the Opposition benches during the first session of the newly elected House.

The session, the first after the BJP formed the state government, highlighted the growing rift within the TMC.

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A total of 38 MLAs were seen sitting with the camp led by Opposition Leader Ritabrata Banerjee, while 14 legislators occupied another section of the Opposition benches, identifying themselves with the Kalighat-backed faction loyal to party chief Mamata Banerjee.

Among those present in the rebel camp was former state minister Firhad Hakim, popularly known as Bobby, once considered a close confidant of Mamata Banerjee. He was spotted sitting alongside Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha.

Meanwhile, speculation was rife that Nayna Bandyopadhyay would switch camp after her husband and veteran TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay joined the rebel camp of the TMC parliamentary party. However, Nayna was spotted sitting with the Kalighat faction in the Assembly.

The Mamata Banerjee loyalists included senior leaders Ballygunge MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra, Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh, Palashipara MLA Rukbanur Rahman and Kaliganj MLA Alifa Ahmed.

The TMC won 80 seats in the recent assembly elections, making it the state’s principal Opposition party. As party chairperson, Mamata Banerjee had nominated Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition, and the party formally informed the Speaker of the decision through a letter on May 9. TMC leaders have alleged that the Speaker took no action on that communication.

The Ritabrata Banerjee camp, on the other hand, accused the party leadership of forging legislators’ signatures and moved ahead with its own claim. Backed by 58 MLAs, Banerjee was recognised as Leader of the Opposition.

Earlier, on June 1, the TMC leadership had expelled him from the party on charges of anti-party activities. Sobhandeb subsequently approached the court challenging the Speaker’s decision to recognise Banerjee as Leader of Opposition.

During a hearing on Wednesday, Justice Krishna Rao raised several questions regarding the matter. However, no interim order was issued on Thursday, allowing Ritabrata to continue in the post for now. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 28.

The Ritabrata Banerjee faction claimed that its strength has increased to 65 MLAs and has asserted that it represents the “real Trinamool Congress.”

However, several legislators aligned with the rebel camp were absent from the Assembly on Thursday, making the actual balance of strength difficult to assess.