Rebel TMC Faction Ousts Mamata, Suspends Abhishek, Forms New Committee

In a significant escalation of internal political turmoil, a rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, has declared a "constitutional crisis" within the party and proceeded to form a new National Working Committee. The faction announced the ousting of Mamata Banerjee as the party's chairperson and the suspension of Abhishek Banerjee from his post as national general secretary. The rebel group appointed senior MLA Arup Roy as the new chairperson of what they describe as the "real" Trinamool Congress. The faction's justification for these drastic actions stems from their interpretation of Article 20 of the TMC constitution, which they claim mandates the formation of a National Working Committee every three years. According to Ritabrata Banerjee, the last such committee was constituted on February 12, 2022, and its term has since expired without renewal. This, they argue, has created a constitutional vacuum, necessitating the formation of a new leadership structure. The meeting where these decisions were made took place at a hotel in New Town, Kolkata, and was reportedly attended by approximately 60 to 70 former and current councillors, along with several senior leaders, including former state minister Javed Khan and Arup Roy himself [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18]. The newly formed 11-member to 30-member National Working Committee includes prominent names such as Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh, and Sabina Yasmin as vice-chairpersons. Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan, and Sandipan Saha have been appointed as general secretaries, with Akhruzzaman Ansari serving as the treasurer. The faction also resolved to appoint an auditor to examine the party's finances [2, 5, 6, 9, 11, 15, 17]. The rebel MPs have indicated they will approach the Supreme Court to claim the party's symbol and assets, adding another layer of legal complexity to the ongoing power struggle [4]. The Trinamool Congress, founded by Mamata Banerjee in January 1998 after her departure from the Congress, has been a dominant force in West Bengal politics for over a decade. Mamata Banerjee has led the party since its inception and served as Chief Minister for 15 years before the TMC's defeat in the recent assembly elections [9]. This internal schism has led to the division of the TMC into at least three camps: the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, Ritabrata Banerjee's "real TMC" which is now the opposition in the Bengal Assembly, and a group of Lok Sabha MPs who have merged with the National Citizens Party and support the NDA in Parliament [4]. The Telegraph newspaper, which published the original article, is a well-established Indian English daily newspaper founded in Kolkata on July 7, 1982, by the ABP Group [7, 8, 10, 19, 20]. It is known for its independent reporting and critical commentary on political and social issues [8]. The reported events took place on Monday, June 22, 2026, as indicated by the article's publication date and related news reports [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18]. The rebellion is seen as a direct challenge to Mamata Banerjee's leadership and has plunged the party into its deepest internal crisis to date [14]. The speed and decisiveness with which the rebel faction convened its meeting and made these announcements highlight their determination to establish a parallel command structure [2]. This development, occurring shortly after the West Bengal Budget presentation, adds a significant twist to the state's political landscape [14]. The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC had previously expelled Ritabrata Banerjee for alleged anti-party activities, making this move by the rebel faction a direct reversal and a counter-disciplinary action [4]. The situation remains fluid, with legal and political battles anticipated over the party's control, symbol, and finances.

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