The Ritabrata Banerjee-led breakaway faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday held its second meeting with former Kolkata Municipal Council (KMC) members in a week, signaling a renewed challenge to Mamata Banerjee’s leadership ahead of the civic polls, even as the party’s pro-party camp opposed the move by filing police complaints alleging “forgery” and “unauthorized” use of the TMC name and symbol.
People familiar with the matter said 47 former TMC councilors attended the meeting at a private banquet hall in East Kolkata’s Topsia area. The meeting, the second after a similar rally in New Town on June 22, was aimed at “strengthening the party’s support base in the city following the defeat it suffered in the assembly elections.”
Banners at both meetings showed the TMC’s grass-and-double-flower symbol and the name “All India Trinamool Congress”, although images of Mamata remained conspicuously missing.
TMC national joint secretary Dula Sen lodged complaints at New Town and Pragati Maidan police stations, alleging “forging party symbol and impersonating the name of the All India Trinamool Congress”. The complaints also accused the rebel camp of distributing “forged electronic documents/communications” and holding “unauthorized meetings.”
“We are the real Trinamool Congress. We have the numbers and we are the main opposition in the state assembly. There can be no doubt about our legitimacy. We have formed our National Action Committee and will soon announce our political programmes,” Sandipan Saha, an MLA rebel and the party’s deputy leader in the House, was quoted as saying by PTI.
Meanwhile, both factions have written to Kolkata Police seeking permission to hold the party’s annual Martyr’s Day rally on July 21. “The TMC has written to Kolkata Police seeking permission to monitor Shaheed Dibas on July 21 in front of Victoria House, just as the party has been doing for decades,” a senior TMC leader said.
The annual gathering at the Esplanade commemorates the 13 Youth Congress workers who were shot dead by police on July 21, 1993, a defining moment in Mamata Banerjee’s political career.
“The party will celebrate July 21 regardless of administrative restrictions and will retain its program even if permission for the traditional stage is denied. If necessary, it will be conducted by a gypsy using a microphone, but it will not be cancelled,” TMC MP Mahua Moitra said.
The End Times rebel, who attended Saturday’s meeting, said the faction was also preparing for the event. “Martyr’s Day on July 21 is an emotion for every worker and leader of TMC… We are TMC and are making all preparations for this day. Our first option will be to organize the march in front of Victoria House.”
