Trinamool infighting escalates as Ritabrata-led camp ‘takes control’ over party headquarters
| Photo Credit: PTI
The tussle between two camps of Trinamool Congress on Friday (July 3, 2026) manifested on the streets of Kolkata when a faction led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee occupied and locked the party headquarters located next to Eastern Metropolitan bypass.Accompanied by a group of MLAs including Firhad Hakim, Sandipan Saha, Javed Khan, Akhruzzaman, Mr. Banerjee went to the party headquarters office.“We are the real Trinamool. This is our office. Trinamool’s emotions are associated with this office,” Mr. Banerjee said. He added that he had a discussion with the owner on rent related issues.Mamata loyalistsOn receiving the information that the Ritabrata camp was trying to occupy the party office, loyalists of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – MLA Kunal Ghosh and Baishwnar Chatterjee – arrived at the office to stake claim.Mr. Chatterjee told presspersons that they have a rent agreement till October 2027 and the party office belongs to them. “There is no party without Mamata Banerjee and it is her office. I don’t know at whose behest they (the rival faction) are doing this. We will fight it in accordance with law,” he said.“With the direct support of the government and the police, an expelled person has become the B team of the BJP (referring to Ritabrata Banerjee),” Mr. Ghosh said.Meanwhile, the rebels put a banner with a photo of their newly elected chairperson Arup Roy at the building. A banner with Mamata Banerjee’s photograph and the name of the party also remains hung at the building.The development comes a day after Ritabrata Banerjee and other MLAs belonging to his camp met the full bench of Election Commission (EC) in Delhi and staked claim for the party. The EC has written to both Trinamool camps, led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee, seeking responses regarding “claims and counter claims” made by them with respect to organisational elections and authorised signatories.Mr. Banerjee was elected as Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly on June 3, with the support of 58 MLAs. The rebel camp now claims the support of 65 of 80 MLAs.The owner of the Trinamool Metropolitan party office, as it is referred to, is owned by Monotosh Saha, whose company was given the contract of setting up stage for the party during election campaign. However, after the assembly polls the relationship between the owner and the Trinamool changed and he started demanding the property back from the party. Published - July 04, 2026 12:11 am IST
Discussion (0)