Only eight TMC MLAs attended Mamata Banerjee’s latest meeting amid an escalating rebellion within the party.
Rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee claimed support for the dissident camp is growing after the party’s Assembly election defeat.
The TMC clarified the meeting was a National Working Committee gathering and not meant for all MLAs and MPs.
TMC Clarifies Kalighat Meet Was Not for All MLAs Amid Low Turnout Row
The low turnout came just days after nearly 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs reportedly skipped another crucial meeting
Summary
The crisis within the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) deepened on Friday after only eight MLAs attended a key party meeting called by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence in Kolkata.
The low turnout came just days after nearly 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs reportedly skipped another crucial meeting, intensifying speculation of a growing rebellion within the party following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Among the MLAs who attended Friday’s huddle were Firhad Hakim, Madan Mitra, Kunal Ghosh and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.
From the parliamentary wing, only four of the party’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs attended the meeting. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was among those present.
Only two Rajya Sabha MPs — Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen — attended the meeting, while 11 others skipped it.
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TMC Clarifies Meeting Was Not for All MLAs, MPs
Following reports highlighting the poor attendance, the TMC clarified that the gathering was a National Working Committee meeting and not a general meeting of all legislators and parliamentarians.
The party said several leaders, including Mahua Moitra, Sushmita Dev and Mukul Sangma, joined the meeting virtually.
The rebellion within the party began shortly after the TMC lost the Assembly elections to the BJP, with Mamata Banerjee herself losing from Bhabanipur to Suvendu Adhikari.
Since then, several leaders have reportedly questioned Mamata Banerjee’s leadership style and the party’s internal functioning.
Rebel Camp Claims Support Growing
Meanwhile, rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee claimed that support for the dissident faction was increasing steadily.
Speaking to NDTV, Ritabrata Banerjee said the number of MLAs backing the rebellion had already crossed the two-thirds mark and would continue to rise during the Assembly session.
He also indicated that more leaders could join the revolt in the coming days, although he refused to comment on possible divisions within the party’s parliamentary wing.
Amid the escalating internal crisis, the TMC has already expelled two MLAs from the party.
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The ongoing rebellion is being seen as one of the biggest political challenges faced by the party since its formation.
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