NEW DELHI: Days after 60 TMC MLAs led by Ritabrata Banerjee revolted against the Mamata Banerjee-led party’s leadership, and sought reorganisation of the rebel faction as the legitimate Trinamool Congress (TMC), cracks are already appearing within the camp.
Several TMC MLAs, who had hopped on the camp led by CPM-turned-TMC leader Ritabrata, are now developing a sense of buyer’s remorse. The bone of contention is whether Mamata will remain the leader or not. And, even as Ritabrata’s faction is grappling with internal dissent, Mamata is moving to exploit the divisions in the rebel camp.
From personally calling the rebels to reaching out to Muslim MLAs wary of Ritabrata’s perceived proximity to the BJP, the TMC chief appears determined to weaken the rebellion from within. And, she might still have a few cards left to play.
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebellion had, at least initially, come on the verge of success. It managed to rally a majority of the TMC’s 80 elected MLAs against the decision of the party’s top brass to appoint Sobhandeb Chattopadhay as the Leader of Opposition (LoP).
Ritabrata’s mutiny, having already elevated him to the LoP, started to acquire the trappings of a full-blown coup, with rebel MLAs declaring their rejection of Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership (who has already borne the brunt of the blame for the TMC’s electoral wipeout). Ritabrata, for his part, declared that Mamata could stay on in the new TMC as the “prodhan poramorshodata” (chief advisor).
Now, with many of Ritabrata’s compatriots questioning themselves over their loyalty to the party’s matriarch, Mamata is moving swiftly to weaken the rebellion from within.
Of the 80 MLAs elected on the TMC ticket in the 2026 Assembly polls, 31 are Muslims. Unsurprisingly, the Ritabrata-led rebellion has fractured this group just like the rest of the party.
Some MLAs, like Sabina Yasmin and Javed Khan, stepped forward as primary leaders of the mutiny, taking up roles as Deputy Leaders of Ritabrata’s new legislative faction. Akhruzzaman also joined the rebel camp, landing the role of Chief Whip. Others, like Firhad Hakim, remain loyal to party supremo Mamata Banerjee.
It is exactly these Muslim MLAs that Mamata and her allies are now dialling up to claw back support.
“Mamata’s veteran political managers have launched an aggressive counter-poaching campaign, directly calling up vulnerable first-time and rural (mostly Muslim) MLAs from the rebel camp,” Kolkata-based daily The Telegraph reported.
What makes this counter-offensive so potent is a growing anxiety among the rebels that Ritabrata, frequently labelled a “habitual turncoat”, might start courting the BJP for support.
“Why is he suddenly all-important now? It was a collective effort…” a rebel South Bengal MLA, who had signed the letter to the Speaker facilitating Ritabrata’s ascent, told The Telegraph.
“Is he to be considered a chief ministerial candidate by a credible Opposition in the future? Then we are not part of that future. We did not get rid of Abhishek Banerjee’s high-handedness to replace it with a saffron-backed Ritabrata.”
While Ritabrata’s ultimate political direction remains to be seen, this unease over his perceived proximity to the saffron camp gives Mamata a potent lever. Given the large number of Muslim legislators who initially backed the revolt, exploiting fears of a BJP alliance could be the very tool she needs to shatter the rebellion from within.
APPEALS TO PERSONAL LOYALTY
The biggest risk that Ritabrata Banerjee’s mutiny faces is whether or not Mamata Banerjee will remain the party’s supremo, or be reduced to the status of a figurehead “chief advisor”.
Ritabrata, for his part, would rather Mamata be reduced to an advisor role. Others in his camp, looks like, would like to differ.
“A leader is a completely different thing, the supreme — what everyone calls a guardian. ‘Prodhan poramorshodata’ means someone who assists from the outside, superficially. If Mamata Banerjee is not kept as the supreme leader, we will have to rethink this whole thing,” rebel MLA Gulshan Mullick was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
Umakant Lakhera is a Senior Journalist and Political Commentator
