Alternative Group Holds Kolkata Meeting, Triggers Fresh Political Controversy
A fresh political controversy unfolded in West Bengal on Monday after a faction calling itself the “real Trinamool Congress” announced the suspension of Abhishek Banerjee and unveiled a new leadership structure during a special meeting in Kolkata.
The development, led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, has added another chapter to the ongoing dispute over the party’s organisational control, even as the ruling Trinamool Congress dismissed the exercise as having no legitimacy.
Leadership Reshuffle Announced
The meeting, held at a private hotel in Kolkata, reportedly appointed Javed Khan, Biplab Kitra, Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee as General Secretaries of the faction.
Despite the use of the Trinamool Congress name and election symbol during the gathering, photographs of party supremo Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee were absent from the venue, signalling the faction’s attempt to project an independent organisational identity.
Faction Claims Strong Support
Sources associated with the group claimed that nearly 60 MLAs and around 70 councillors from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) participated in the meeting.
The gathering was reportedly convened to reorganise the party’s national leadership, with the faction also claiming that Howrah (Madhya) MLA Arup Roy had been named the new chairperson, replacing Mamata Banerjee.
However, no official confirmation of these claims has been issued by the Trinamool Congress leadership.
TMC Rejects the Exercise
Senior TMC leader and MLA Kunal Ghosh dismissed the developments, calling the meeting politically insignificant.
Taking to social media, Ghosh wrote, “It is a comedy show. A man who has been expelled from the TMC is holding a special session. The matter is in the court and we believe justice will be done. We do not give any importance to such comical behaviour. TMC = Mamata Banerjee. All else is a circus.”
The statement underlined the party’s stand that the faction has no official recognition within the Trinamool Congress.
Legal Battle Continues
The latest developments come at a time when the Trinamool Congress has already approached the Calcutta High Court over alleged egg attacks targeting its leaders, MPs and MLAs, highlighting the heightened political tensions in the state.
