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EYE ON INDIA JUNE 12, 2026 | The Indian Eye 6

TMC IN TURMOIL

Rebellion, Corruption Cases and the

Battle for Bengal’s Opposition Space

The Trinamool Congress faces its gravest crisis as mass defections, corruption allegations and a
leadership revolt threaten to reshape West Bengal politics.

OUR BUREAU has rejected the rebels’ claims. Senior
leader Kunal Ghosh has questioned
Kolkatas / New Delhi
the authenticity of signatures sub-
he Trinamool Congress mitted by the dissident faction and
(TMC), which dominated West argued that the matter requires legal
TBengal politics for nearly a de- examination.
cade and a half under the leadership As both sides battle for legitima-
of Mamata Banerjee, is confronting cy, the dispute could ultimately move
what may be the biggest crisis in its beyond the political arena and into
history. Within days of losing power the courts.
in the state, the party has been rocked Compounding the party’s trou-
by a dramatic internal rebellion, pub- bles is a series of corruption-related
lic allegations against its leadership, arrests involving TMC leaders. Inves-
and a series of corruption-related ar- tigative agencies have launched action
rests involving its leaders. in multiple cases across West Bengal.
The developments have exposed The crisis has also triggered fierce
deep fissures within the party and political reactions. TMC MP Mahua
raised serious questions about its fu- Moitra accused the rebel legislators of
ture as a cohesive political force. betraying the mandate of voters who
elected them under Mamata Baner-
The dissident faction has repeatedly stated that Mamata Banerjee remains their leader and
The most immediate challenge has even proposed that she serve as a chief advisor to guide the opposition (ANI) jee’s leadership.
She argued that the legislators
comes from an unprecedented won on explicitly anti-BJP votes and
revolt within the TMC legislature tion has repeatedly stated that the democracy within the party has weak- challenged them to resign and seek a
former chief minister remains their ened and that criticism of the leader- fresh mandate.
party. In a stunning setback for leader and has even proposed that ship is no longer tolerated. Saha sug- “The TMC secured 41 per cent
the party leadership, 58 of the she serve as a chief advisor to guide gested that even veteran legislators of the vote under Mamata Banerjee’s
name and the TMC symbol,” Moitra
who had been active in politics long
the opposition.
party’s 80 MLAs reportedly ap- Instead, the rebellion appears before Abhishek Banerjee entered said, insisting that the rebels could not
proached Assembly Speaker to be directed primarily against the public life were compelled to publicly separate themselves from the political
growing influence of Mamata Baner- endorse him. platform on which they were elected.
Rathindranath Bose, claiming jee’s nephew and Diamond Harbour These accusations have trans- At the same time, Moitra por-
control of the TMC Legislature MP, Abhishek Banerjee. formed the crisis from a routine trayed the rebellion as an opportunity
Expelled TMC leader Sandipan
for what she called a “purification” of
factional dispute into a debate over
Party and electing recently ex- Saha has provided insight into the leadership style, accountability and the party, suggesting that dissenters
pelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee grievances that triggered the revolt. decision-making within the party. were free to leave.
According to him, the turning point
Meanwhile, the BJP has seized
The rebellion has also sparked
as the Leader of the Opposition. came after the party’s electoral de- a bitter dispute over procedural le- upon the turmoil. Senior BJP leader
feat when legislators were allegedly gitimacy. Rebel leaders have alleged Tapas Roy described the collapse as
If sustained, the move would instructed not to criticize Abhishek irregularities in the selection of the “inevitable” and argued that the TMC
represent not merely a rebellion but Banerjee and were instead asked to official Leader of the Opposition and was now experiencing the same polit-
a fundamental shift in the balance applaud him for his performance. claimed that some MLAs’ names ap- ical fragmentation that it had previ-
of power within the party. The rebel “No one was permitted to utter peared on documents despite their ously encouraged in rival parties.
legislators have effectively challenged a single word of criticism regarding absence from meetings. The broader significance of the
the authority of the official leadership Abhishek. Instead, we were instructed According to Saha, concerns over crisis extends beyond internal party
while asserting that they represent the that he had performed exceptionally these alleged irregularities prompted politics. The TMC’s ability to function
majority of elected TMC lawmakers. well and that everyone must rise to legislators to seek intervention from as a strong opposition force in West
What makes the rebellion partic- accord him a standing ovation,” Saha the Assembly Speaker, eventually Bengal will depend on whether it can
ularly significant is that it is not being alleged. leading to the formation of the break- resolve the leadership dispute, restore
framed as a revolt against Mamata The claim reflects a broader per- away group. organisational discipline and rebuild
Banerjee herself. The dissident fac- ception among dissidents that internal The TMC leadership, however, public confidence.

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