Archive · 16 Sep 2026
TMC Factional Fight Intensifies Over Disqualification Plea Against 10 MLAs
Two groups inside the Trinamool Congress are fighting over who controls the party.
One group is led by Ritabrata Banerjee, and the other is led by Mamata Banerjee.
The Mamata-led group asked for 10 MLAs from Ritabrata’s group to lose their assembly seats.
The assembly secretariat has given those MLAs one week to respond.
Ritabrata said the legal documents contain mistakes and conflicting dates.
The dispute also concerns who should be Leader of the Opposition.
Courts are considering parts of the disagreement, and both groups have taken their claims to other institutions.
The two factions are also arguing over the party’s name and election symbol.
The assembly secretariat issued notices to 10 MLAs aligned with Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction.
The notices followed a Supreme Court plea by Sovandeb Chattopadhyay seeking their disqualification under the anti-defection law.
Ritabrata Banerjee alleged discrepancies between dates in the disqualification petition and the Supreme Court filing.
The rival factions are also contesting the Leader of Opposition post, party name and election symbol.
Ritabrata’s faction claims the support of 65 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs, while both sides continue legal and organisational challenges.
- Who
- Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction and the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress, including 10 MLAs facing disqualification proceedings.
- What
- The assembly secretariat issued notices after a plea seeking disqualification of the 10 MLAs under the anti-defection law.
- When
- The notices were issued on September 15, and the MLAs were given one week to reply; Ritabrata Banerjee said he would decide his next step after September 18.
- Where
- The dispute involves the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court in Kolkata and West Bengal.
- Why
- The Mamata-led faction alleges that the 10 MLAs acted against the party’s interests, while the rival faction disputes the legal basis of the proceedings.
Ritabrata-led faction
Mamata-led faction
Disqualification proceedings
Ritabrata-led faction
Ritabrata Banerjee questioned the legal basis of the plea, alleged discrepancies between dates in the petition and Supreme Court filing, and said the documents contained mistakes.
Mamata-led faction
The Mamata-led faction sought disqualification of 10 MLAs, alleging that they had acted against the party’s interests.
Leader of Opposition post
Ritabrata-led faction
Ritabrata Banerjee is recognised as Leader of the Opposition by the assembly speaker, and his faction supports that decision.
Mamata-led faction
Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, the Mamata-led faction’s nominee, challenged the speaker’s decision before the Calcutta High Court and later approached the Supreme Court.
Party control
Ritabrata-led faction
Ritabrata’s faction claims support from 65 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs and has conducted a parallel organisational exercise, including appointing a chief whip.
Mamata-led faction
The Mamata-led faction is contesting control of the organisation as well as the TMC’s name and election symbol.
- MLAs facing notices
- 10 legislators aligned with Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction
- Reply deadline
- Within one week of the assembly secretariat’s notices
- Petitioner
- Senior TMC MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay
- Legal basis
- The anti-defection law
- Support claimed
- Ritabrata’s faction claims 65 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs
- Leader of Opposition dispute
- The matter is pending before the Calcutta High Court, with a period scheduled to end on October 18
- Additional dispute
- Both factions claim the TMC’s name and twin-flower-on-grass election symbol