Split in TMC: From Accidental Meeting to Assembly Coup
Within 13 days, the TMC faced its most significant split since its formation in 1998 after a series of political disputes and controversies. This upheaval began with an accidental meeting that escalated into a full-fledged rebellion.
Highlights
- •- Accidental meeting between Ritabrata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari at Banga Bhavan sparked the crisis
- •- Signature forgery allegations led to formal complaints and legal investigations
- •- Rebel MLAs wrested control of the party's legislature wing, electing new leaders
- •- TMC expelled Ritabrata and Sandipan, accelerating their rise in rebel faction
Kolkata—In just 13 days, what began as an accidental meeting between Ritabrata Banerjee and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Banga Bhavan in Delhi turned into a coup that rewrote the political landscape of West Bengal. This split in the TMC, which has been at the helm of the state for 28 years, unfolded through a series of events that included signature-forgery controversies and succession battles.
The Accidental Meeting and Its Impact
Ritabrata Banerjee's visit to Banga Bhavan on May 22, where he met Adhikari for lunch, marked the beginning of a chain reaction. Within just days, this accident had transformed into a major political crisis that saw 58 MLAs wrest control from TMC leadership.
The process started much earlier. Soon after the Assembly poll defeat on May 4 to the BJP, unease began within party ranks due to perceived centralisation of authority around Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee's nephew. In May 6 assembly meetings, Mamata asked legislators to recognise Abhishek for his campaign contributions, which many interpreted as an attempt to build a family empire. The seeds were sown.
On May 19, the first public signs of dissent emerged at another meeting when Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha questioned Abhishek's close association with TMC legislative activities. These murmurs quickly turned into formal complaints over signature forgery allegations on May 25. By then, political controversies had become a rallying point for rebellious MLAs.
The turning point occurred on May 30 when Abhishek Banerjee faced a mob attack during a visit to Sonarpur. The lack of response from party leaders and legislators provided evidence of a widening disconnect. By May 31, the rebellion against Abhishek's leadership was clear. Mamata Banerjee's meeting at Kalighat failed to project unity, foreshadowing the crisis.
On June 1, TMC expelled Ritabrata and Sandipan from the party, only to accelerate their rise as leaders of the rebel faction. Within a week, the expelled legislators formed an official leadership team and received recognition from the Assembly Speaker. The coup was complete.
