Can An Expelled MLA Take Over TMC? What Law Says As 58 Rebels Back Ritabrata Banerjee

Key points

• Can An Expelled MLA Take Over TMC?
• What Law Says As 58 Rebels Back Ritabrata Banerjee Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 10:00 IST As TMC rebels secure Speaker recognition, legal experts point to anti-defection rules and past Shiv Sena-NCP splits to explain who controls a party.
• File photos of Ritabrata Banerjee/Mamata Banerjee (PTI) The dramatic rebellion within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has triggered an unprecedented constitutional and political debate in West Bengal – can an MLA expelled from a party effectively take control of its legislature wing?
• The question gained urgency on Wednesday after 58 dissident TMC MLAs backed expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of the legislature party and secured recognition from Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose, marking the first split in the party’s 28-year history.
• While the Mamata Banerjee camp continues to control the organisational structure of the party, the rebels have claimed legitimacy through their...