Rebel TMC MLAs replace Mamata Banerjee as chairperson, pick Arup Roy
In a major move that is set to further intensify the battle for control of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the rebel faction led by Ritabrata
In a major move that is set to further intensify the battle for control of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee on Monday named senior MLA Arup Roy as the chairperson of what it described as the "real" Trinamool Congress, effectively challenging party founder Mamata Banerjee's leadership. The rebel camp also announced the suspension of the party's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, shortly after unveiling a parallel organisational structure, signalling that its challenge has expanded beyond the legislature into the party's organisational hierarchy. Read Full Story The development marks the most serious organisational challenge yet to Mamata Banerjee, whose authority over the party has come under mounting pressure following a series of defections and rebellions in both the legislative and parliamentary wings after the TMC's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. The decision to appoint Roy as chairperson came after Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee and rebel Trinamool MLAs held a separate meeting with party councillors at a five-star hotel in New Town.
Senior leaders including Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, Asim Bose, Jui Biswas and Tarak Singh attended the meeting, along with rebel MLAs, councillors and former elected representatives from Kolkata, Howrah, Murshidabad, Berhampore and several other districts. The rebel faction said the meeting had been convened to address what it described as a "constitutional crisis" within the party. Addressing the gathering, Ritabrata Banerjee argued that the party constitution mandates the constitution of a national working committee every three years and that the previous committee, formed in February 2022, had completed its tenure without being reconstituted. "The organisational structure was not reconstituted after the expiry of its tenure. Therefore, it became necessary to initiate the process of rebuilding the party's national leadership in accordance with the constitution," a leader present at the meeting quoted Banerjee as saying. Following his address, the gathering unanimously approved the formation of a new national working committee comprising Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Biplab Mitra, Akhruzzaman Ansari, Sabina Yasmin, Sandipan Saha, Rathin Ghosh, Javed Khan and Ritabrata Banerjee.
The committee was later expanded to 30 members. Soon afterwards, Arup Roy, the veteran MLA from Howrah Central, was elected chairperson by voice vote. Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin were appointed vice-chairpersons, while Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan and Sandipan Saha were named general secretaries. Akhruzzaman Ansari was appointed treasurer, and the newly constituted committee resolved to appoint an independent auditor to examine the party's financial records. The faction maintained that the newly formed committee represented the legitimate continuation of the Trinamool Congress, arguing that the existing leadership had failed to adhere to the organisational provisions laid down in the party constitution. Sources in the rebel camp claimed that around 60 MLAs and a large number of councillors, including many from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, either attended the meeting or extended their support to the resolutions adopted. Trinamool Congress is witnessing one of the biggest internal rebellions in its history after losing power in West Bengal following nearly 15 years in office.
The BriefWire