Who Are Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar And Ritabrata Banerjee? The Faces Of TMC's Growing Rebellion

Published 8 June 2026 · politics

Who Are Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar And Ritabrata Banerjee? The Faces Of TMC's Growing Rebellion Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 19:28 IST TMC faces

Who Are Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar And Ritabrata Banerjee? The Faces Of TMC's Growing Rebellion Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 19:28 IST TMC faces deepening crisis after poll loss in Bengal as Ritabrata Banerjee leads rebel MLAs and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar backs NDA with "nearly 20" MPs, challenging Mamata Banerjee. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Ritabrata Banerjee (R) are at the centre of the crisis unfolding within the TMC. (Image: ANI/File) As the Trinamool Congress (TMC) grapples with one of the biggest crises in its history following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, two leaders have emerged at the centre of a widening rebellion within the party, Ritabrata Banerjee and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The unrest comes amid a series of resignations and defections by senior TMC leaders, raising questions about the party’s future direction and internal cohesion. While Ritabrata has become the face of the revolt in the Assembly, Kakoli has emerged as a key voice of dissent in Parliament. Who is Ritabrata Banerjee? Ritabrata Banerjee‘s rise has been one of the most dramatic developments in the post-election political landscape in Bengal.

A former CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP and student leader who later joined the TMC, Banerjee was recently appointed Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. His elevation followed the Assembly Speaker’s reported recognition of a rebel group of TMC legislators as a separate legislative party. The move signalled the growing strength of the dissident camp and marked a major setback for the party leadership. Banerjee has maintained that his faction seeks to function as a constructive opposition while positioning itself as the true custodian of the party’s original political ideals. His appointment has also triggered legal and political challenges from the TMC leadership. All About Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar On the parliamentary front, senior MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has emerged as a prominent rebel voice. A three-time Lok Sabha MP from Barasat and one of the party’s senior-most women leaders, Kakoli resigned from all organisational posts in May, citing “deep mental conflict and long contemplation". Though she initially said she would remain in the party as an ordinary worker, her stance has since hardened.

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar previously held several key organisational responsibilities, including chairperson of the All India Trinamool Mahila Congress and roles linked to the party’s Bangla Janani outreach programme. Dastidar was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha and retained her seat in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, becoming a member of the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha. Over the years, she has played an important organisational role within the party and remained a close member of Mamata Banerjee’s political team. Apart from her political career, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has a background in medicine and is known for raising public issues in Parliament. She has built a strong presence within the party as both a parliamentarian and a senior organisational leader. Speaking to PTI on Monday, Dastidar claimed that “nearly 20" TMC MPs, including herself, had informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of their decision to support the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA). She said the move reflected the political realities after the Assembly elections and added that the group had “accepted the people’s verdict".