‘We are TMC’: Rebel MLAs tell Election Commission they hold two-thirds majority

New DelhiJul 2, 2026 03:29 PM IST The meeting came amid the ongoing tug-of-war between the rebels and the party led by Mamata Banerjee, whom they removed as chairperson at a special session last month. (File Photo)The dispute over the “real TMC” reached Delhi Thursday as a delegation of rebel MLAs, led by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the other election commissioners, and claimed they had “a two-thirds majority”. ECI had scheduled a hearing with the Ritabrata camp before its full bench at 12 pm Thursday. The delegation, comprising Banerjee and nine rebel MLAs, met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the other Election Commissioners at Nirvachan Sadan on Ashoka Road in Delhi. ‘We made our points’ Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Banerjee said, “We are TMC as we have over two-thirds majority. The majority of MLAs, councillors, and zila parishad are with us.” “The All India Trinamool Congress had a special session on June 22. Immediately after the session, we formally gave in writing to the Election Commission of India and physically met ECI in Kolkata; at the time, we had sought an appointment at the Election Commission of India,” he said. “CEC and other Election Commissioners gave us a patient hearing. We made our points. We are hopeful that ECI will get back to us shortly.” The 10-member delegation also had former state minister Snehasis Chakraborty. A listStory continues below this ad The meeting came amid the ongoing tug-of-war between the rebels and the party led by Mamata Banerjee, whom they removed as chairperson at a special session last month. In response, Banerjee sent EC a list of members who comprise the TMC’s actual national working committee, including her as the chairperson, heir apparent Abhishek Banerjee as the national general secretary, the party’s Lok Sabha leader, Derek O Brien and Dola Sen as joint secretaries, Subhashish Chakraborty as treasurer, and Sovondeb Chatterjee as the leader in the Bengal Assembly. The meeting was significant as the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has already submitted two police complaints against the dissident group, while the West Bengal police have denied permission to both camps to hold separate July 21 ‘Martyrs’ Day’ rallies at Esplanade.