Trinamool’s West Bengal state chief Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from all party posts on Saturday, deepening an organizational crisis within Mamata Banerjee’s party – a day after the party lost control of its state headquarters, and weeks after a number of senior leaders bled out following its defeat in the state elections.
Banerjee launched a counterattack in a live broadcast on social media later on Saturday, accusing rebel leaders of conspiring with the BJP to divide the party. Banerjee announced that she will immediately assume the position of state president until veteran leader Subrata Bakshi recovers from the disease.
In her resignation letter, Bhattacharya stated, “I hereby tender my resignation from the post of State President of the Indian Trinamool Congress which was conferred on me at the meeting held at Kalighat on June 3. I also hereby resign from all other offices held by me at present.”
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The rebel camp is strengthening
After her resignation, Bhattacharya met dissident legislators in the state legislative assembly, where the Speaker recognized the rebel faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, as the main opposition party. As many as 58 of the party’s 80 lawmakers joined the dissident camp.
Bhattacharya, a veteran leader and long-term aide of Banerjee, held multiple posts in the erstwhile state administration, including finance, health, panchayat and rural development. Her resignation came after an incident on Friday, where the rebel faction occupied the party’s rented multi-storey office off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, claiming it represented the “original” party.
Bhattacharya stated that she was present at the Trinamool Conference bhavan during the takeover and left soon after. “Mamata Banerjee told me that I delivered TMC bhavan. I felt so much pain,” she said.
Banerjee rejected the rebel takeover of the headquarters, stating that central forces were used to seal off the buildings. She stated that the party’s lease remained in place until October 2027, and that rent, maintenance and electricity bills were paid regularly, and offered copies of the checks as proof.
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Mamata replies
Banerjee remained indifferent about Bhattacharya’s exit, saying her son had already joined the rebel camp. “I challenge the traitorous and ungrateful traitors who are abandoning the party to directly join the BJP and accept me if they have the courage to do so,” Banerjee stated.
She also announced the appointment of Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra as general secretaries of the party.
Banerjee questioned the timing of the opposition, asking why the lawmakers had not expressed their differences in the last 15 years while serving as MLAs, MLAs and ministers. She added that the loyal workers who remained during this crisis are the party’s “gold mine.”
Regarding the petition submitted by the rebel faction to the Election Commission demanding the twin flower symbol, Banerjee stated that an institution does not cease to exist when individuals leave. She criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, mockingly referring to him as “Vanish Kumar”.
War of words
Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee urged the president to conduct thorough background checks before assigning responsibilities. He stated that previous announcements had led to embarrassing resignations, adding that they could “become red in the face” if appointed leaders actually withdraw their support.
Banerjee also criticized the BJP over alleged misappropriation of donations for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, dedicated to the Hindu god Ram. She said: “Take the case of Ram Mandir. Huge money was spent on its construction. Donations poured in. Today Ram ka naam apne badnaam kar diya. Hindutva ka naam bi khela. Hindutva ko apne finish kiya. Didn’t you see what happened to the donations?”
In response, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said that the leaders were withdrawing from the Trinamool Congress because the “money-cutting culture” that served as the binding glue had stopped. He added that the party would have no place in history apart from the approach to the modern Islamic history of the state.
