In a major jolt to the Trinamool Congress, 58 rebel MLAs have formally split from the party in the West Bengal Assembly, announcing a separate legislative faction on Wednesday. The group elected recently expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as its legislature party leader, escalating the internal crisis that has been brewing for weeks.

The development marks one of the largest recorded splits in the TMC since its formation. The rebel MLAs met Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose and submitted a formal letter of support for the new faction. They have also named Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, and Siuli Saha as deputy leaders, with Akhruzzaman appointed as chief whip.

Rebels Reject Abhishek's Authority

While the breakaway group has reiterated its recognition of Mamata Banerjee as the party president, it has categorically rejected the leadership of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and any decisions taken by him regarding the legislative party. Sources familiar with the matter said the rebels were particularly upset over what they claimed was high-handedness in handling Assembly affairs.

The immediate trigger for the rebellion was a letter sent on Abhishek Banerjee’s letterhead to the Speaker, proposing senior TMC leader Shovandev Chattopadhyay’s name as Leader of the Opposition. MLAs Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee alleged that their signatures were forged on the document.

Mamata Banerjee expelled both legislators from the party on Monday following their complaint. The expulsions appear to have backfired, triggering wider discontent within the ranks.

Dissolution of Party Committees

On the same day, Mamata Banerjee dissolved all state-level committees and frontal organisations of the TMC with immediate effect. Party leaders described the move as a step towards complete organisational restructuring. Fresh committees are expected to be announced soon.

Key Developments That Led to the Crisis

The current turmoil comes against the backdrop of several setbacks and internal rumblings in recent weeks.

On May 31, as many as 60 of the 80 TMC MLAs skipped a crucial meeting called by Mamata Banerjee. The meeting had to be postponed. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had then said the absent legislators were busy preparing protests against alleged attacks on Abhishek Banerjee.

The same day, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed he was attacked by BJP supporters outside a police station in Hooghly. He alleged that around 10-15 men in saffron clothes pelted stones and abused him.

A day earlier, on May 30, Abhishek Banerjee himself was allegedly assaulted in South Sonarpur, with eggs and slippers thrown at him. The party claimed there was an attempt on his life and five persons were later arrested.

Earlier, on May 27, TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigned from all party posts. Her resignation came after she attended a meeting chaired by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

On May 20, only 35 MLAs turned up for the party’s first major protest after the Assembly election defeat. The protest was held near the Ambedkar statue in the Assembly complex against post-poll violence and anti-encroachment drives.

Photo from June 1 Shows Early Signs of Rebellion

A photograph from June 1 showed Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha in a meeting with other MLAs, signalling the early stages of the brewing discontent.

What Lies Ahead

The formation of the breakaway faction has raised questions about the future strength of the TMC in the Assembly and the stability of Mamata Banerjee’s hold over the party. Political observers note that while the rebels have stopped short of fully severing ties with Mamata, the open rejection of Abhishek Banerjee’s authority points to deep fissures within the organisation.

The Speaker’s office is yet to take a final call on the recognition of the new faction. The coming days are likely to see further political manoeuvring as both sides attempt to consolidate support.

The split comes at a time when the TMC is still recovering from its Assembly election performance and facing pressure from opposition parties, particularly the BJP.

Expelled Trinamool Congress leader Riju Dutta claims more than 50 of the party's 80 MLAs are ready to declare themselves the "real" TMC, as Mamata Banerjee leads a protest in Kolkata against alleged post-poll attacks on party leaders.

Rebel Faction Sharpens Claims

The Trinamool Congress is facing its most serious internal challenge in years, with expelled party leader Riju Dutta claiming that over 50 of the party's 80 MLAs are prepared to break away and declare themselves the legitimate face of the All India Trinamool Congress. The rebel group is also said to be seeking the Leader of Opposition post and the party symbol — moves that could trigger a formal split and a prolonged legal battle over the party's identity.

West Bengal minister Tapas Roy added fuel to the fire on Tuesday, saying plainly: "The party will break, which it should." His remarks, made amid an ongoing session of the state legislature, were among the most candid acknowledgements yet from within TMC ranks that the crisis may be irreversible.

Mamata Takes to the Streets

Even as the split speculation mounted, TMC Chairperson and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on the ground in Kolkata, leading a sit-in protest at Rani Rashmoni Avenue against alleged post-poll violence targeting party leaders. Before arriving at the protest site, she paid floral tributes to B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi on Red Road — a deliberate symbolic gesture, observers noted, ahead of what the party is framing as a democratic rights protest.

Several senior TMC figures were present at the site, including newly appointed Leader of Opposition Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Indranil Sen, and MP Kalyan Banerjee, who had earlier met Mamata at her Kalighat residence.

Abhishek Banerjee Among Those Allegedly Targeted

At the heart of the TMC's protest is the alleged assault on party National General Secretary and Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee. According to party leaders, a crowd attacked Abhishek and threw eggs at him — an incident the TMC says is emblematic of a wider pattern of politically motivated violence against its representatives in the wake of the state assembly elections.

Kalyan Banerjee, a senior TMC MP, was also said to have been targeted. The party has demanded strict police action and accused the state's new administration of allowing — and in some cases facilitating — the attacks.

Mamata Hits Out at Police, EVMs

Addressing supporters at the protest, Mamata Banerjee levelled serious allegations against law enforcement. "Cops are threatening our leaders. The CP of Chandannagar called our leader and asked him to resign, otherwise he would be arrested," she said, claiming TMC leaders across the state were being picked up in what she described as false cases.

She also renewed her challenge to the election results, alleging that the BJP had rigged counting in 177 of 294 assembly seats. "The EVMs have been hacked. We are maintaining peace, but the government is promoting lawlessness," she said. West Bengal's new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, speaking separately on Tuesday, did not respond directly to the fraud allegations but issued statements on cultural nationalism, saying recitation of Vande Mataram had been made mandatory in all state schools.

Assembly Appointments, Speaker Standoff

The TMC moved to formalise its role in the new assembly on Tuesday, submitting appointments for its legislative team. Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has been named Leader of Opposition, with Ashima Patra and Nayana Bandopadhyay as Deputy Leaders, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip.

However, the process hit a bureaucratic snag almost immediately. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said that when he and Ashima Patra went to the Speaker's office to submit the letter, the Speaker was absent. The office secretary reportedly told them the Speaker had verbally instructed that no letter be received. "What kind of custodian of democracy is the Speaker?" Ghosh said.

What Comes Next

The coming days are likely to be decisive. If the rebel MLAs formally declare their faction the "real" Trinamool and stake a claim to the party's symbol, the matter will move to the Election Commission — a process that can take months and has historically torn parties apart. For now, Mamata's counter-move appears to be keeping her core loyalists visible and vocal while the expulsion of rebel leaders signals she is not in a mood for negotiation.