80 TMC MLAs, 58 Rebels, Only 8 at Her Meeting: Mamata Banerjee Faces Deepening Crisis of Control

The troubles facing the All India Trinamool Congress appear to have intensified following its poor showing in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, with a major rebellion now threatening to split the party from within.

After being reduced to 80 seats in the 294-member Assembly, the party led by Mamata Banerjee has been rocked by a revolt involving 58 MLAs, who have staked claim to recognition as the principal Opposition bloc in the House.

The scale of the crisis was evident on Friday when Mamata Banerjee convened a meeting at her Kolkata residence. Only eight non-rebel MLAs attended, alongside a handful of senior leaders and MPs, highlighting the widening divide within the party.

Rebellion Led by Ritabrata Banerjee

The revolt is being spearheaded by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, who announced on Wednesday that he had been recognised as Leader of the Opposition after meeting the Assembly Speaker.

The development marks the most serious internal rupture in the party’s three-decade history and effectively represents its first major split since Mamata Banerjee founded the organisation after breaking away from the Congress.

Several Muslim legislators are reported to have joined the rebel camp, strengthening Ritabrata Banerjee’s position. The former student leader, who was expelled from the CPI(M) in 2017 and later sent to the Rajya Sabha by the TMC, has asserted that the rebel legislators now represent the “real TMC” within the Assembly.

The dissidents have indicated that they would like Mamata Banerjee to serve as their “principal adviser” but have ruled out any engagement with her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, who has long been regarded as the party’s second-most influential leader.

Party to Challenge Speaker’s Decision

The TMC has rejected the Speaker’s recognition of Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition and plans to challenge the move in court.

Senior party MP Kalyan Banerjee described the decision as illegal and said the party would move the High Court on Monday.

Speaking after the meeting at Mamata Banerjee’s residence, Kalyan Banerjee accused the BJP of targeting TMC workers and vowed to fight the political battle both in the courts and on the streets.

With a large section of its legislators now openly defying the leadership, the party faces one of the most significant challenges in its history, raising fresh questions about its future direction and organisational unity.