Trinamool splits, expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee is Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly
Expelled Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee was appointed Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday (June 3, 2026). Banerjee, who was handed
Expelled Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee was appointed Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday (June 3, 2026). Banerjee, who was handed over keys to the LoP chamber, claimed the support of 58 MLAs of Trinamool Congress. “We submitted a letter signed by 58 MLAs to the Speaker. So far the number is 58 it can increase,” he said at a press conference. “We will serve as a responsible Opposition in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
We will criticise the government but there will no opposition for opposition’s sake,” he said. Banerjee reached out to Trinamool Congress founder Mamata Banerjee from the presser saying, “We appeal to Mamata Banerjee to remain as a main advisor to the Trinamool Legislature party. If she is with us, we will be able to work better.” He also specified that Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had “no connection with the representatives of Trinamool legislators of the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly.” Earlier, about 20 MLAs of the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday participated in an administrative meeting at the West Bengal State Secretariat chaired by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, and BJP legislators from the three districts in and around Kolkata participated in the meeting. Trinamool MLAs who participated in the meeting included prominent names such as Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan and Kunal Ghosh. The Trinamool on Monday (June 1, 2026) expelled two MLAs – Mr. Banerjee and Sandipan Saha – after they wrote to the Speaker of the State Assembly alleging that their signatures were forged by the party on a resolution nominating Trinamool MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition.
On Monday, Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee held a protest at Esplanade in Kolkata, but it did not get any response as most of the party’s elected MLAs remained absent.
The BriefWire