Ritabrata Banerjee faction stakes claim to TMC leadership at ECI
Rebel group claims support of 65 TMC MLAs for control
Mamata Banerjee camp submits rival list retaining party leadership roles
The crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) deepened on Tuesday after the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction submitted documents related to the party’s newly constituted national committee to the Election Commission of India (ECI), staking its claim over the legal control of the party.
The move has formally triggered a dispute over the party’s name, assets, and election symbol. The rebel faction claimed that, with the support of 65 MLAs out of the party’s 80 legislators, Ritabrata Banerjee represents the “original TMC.”
Speaking to reporters after the submission, Ritabrata Banerjee said, “I cannot comment on the letter they submitted to the EC, but by now people have seen that every time they form a new committee, the members resign and leave. I can say for sure that the majority of the TMC MLAs are with us.”
Mamata Banerjee Camp’s Defence
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s camp submitted a revised list to the ECI on Monday night, dated “as on June 20, 2026,” retaining her as chairperson and Abhishek Banerjee as national general secretary.
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Describing it as the “original but minority” list, the Mamata camp acknowledged its weaker numerical position within the party’s legislative wing.
ECI to Decide
As both camps claim control over the party, the Election Commission will determine the legitimate leadership of the TMC. Ritabrata Banerjee also echoed similar sentiments, saying the matter should be left to the poll body.
“If different lists have been submitted, the Election Commission will examine them and take an appropriate decision. There is no point in speculating before that process is completed,” he said.
Under ECI rules, the faction recognised as the legitimate party will inherit the party name, the twin-flower symbol, the registered voter base, and official party recognition. The rival faction would then be required to register as a new party and contest elections using a temporary free symbol.
As an interim measure, the ECI may also freeze the party symbol altogether, as it did during the Shiv Sena split in October 2022 and the Nationalist Congress Party split in 2023.
The Crisis
Shortly after the BJP swept the West Bengal Assembly elections this year, a rebel faction of TMC MLAs approached the Speaker, claiming Ritabrata Banerjee as the new Leader of Opposition.
Amid the rebellion, the party dissolved all its West Bengal state committees in an attempt to stem defections. In response, the rebel faction convened a meeting in Kolkata, voted to remove founder Mamata Banerjee as party chairperson, appointed Arup Roy as her replacement, and suspended Abhishek Banerjee from the party.
