TMC’s Aroop seeks freeze on party bank accounts amid leadership battle; fresh blow to Mamata camp

Published 18 June 2026 · local

The internecine war within the TMC took a new turn on Thursday (June 18, 2026) with “party treasurer” Aroop Biswas writing to a bank seeking

The internecine war within the TMC took a new turn on Thursday (June 18, 2026) with “party treasurer” Aroop Biswas writing to a bank seeking restrictions on the operation of the party’s accounts, citing uncertainty over its legitimate leadership amid rebellions by MLAs and MPs. The move is being seen as a fresh setback for the camp led by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, coming days after dissident MLAs and MPs challenged the authority of the Trinamool Congress’s central leadership following the party’s defeat in the assembly polls and staked claim to being the “real” TMC. Opinion | The existential crisis of the Trinamool A two-page letter, addressed to the manager of a private bank’s Central Plaza branch in Kolkata, made rounds on social media, though PTI could not independently verify its authenticity. The bank did not respond to queries, while calls and text messages to Mr. Biswas, a former Minister and once considered a loyalist of Banerjee, remained unanswered. According to the letter dated June 12, Mr. Biswas sought maintenance of the status quo on the accounts and requested that no debit transactions or changes in operational mandates be permitted until the dispute over the party’s control is resolved. The development assumes significance as Mr. Biswas was removed as treasurer during a reorganisation announced by the Mamata Banerjee camp on June 5, with former MP Subhasish Chakraborty being named to the post.

In the communication to the bank, however, Mr. Biswas described himself as the treasurer of the party, raising questions about competing claims over organisational authority. Sources in the rebel camp said the letter reflected growing concerns over who exercises control over the party’s assets and finances amid the ongoing leadership struggle. According to the communication, rival factions were claiming to be the legitimate representatives and office-bearers of the TMC, creating uncertainty regarding who was authorised to operate accounts maintained in the party’s name. Biswas also expressed apprehension that party funds could be utilised or appropriated by persons not duly authorised to do so and warned about the possibility of signed cheques being misused or presented for encashment amid the dispute. In one passage, he reportedly stated that he had, in the past, signed blank or pre-approved cheques for organisational convenience and feared they could now be misused in view of the ongoing conflict within the party. The account in question is understood to be one of the principal accounts of the TMC. According to the party’s audited submissions before the Election Commission, deposits in the account are estimated to be around Rs 675 crore, making control over the fund a matter of considerable political and organisational significance. The controversy comes against the backdrop of the biggest crisis in the TMC’s 28-year history following its defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.