TMC vs TMC out in open: Major setback for Mamata Banerjee as rebel MLAs claim support of nearly 50 MLAs

NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) appeared to be staring at its biggest internal crisis in years on Wednesday after expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee met West Bengal assembly speaker Rathindra Bose, claiming the support of 58 party legislators.The development has lent legitimacy to the rumours that a large section of the TMC legislature party could attempt to wrest control of the opposition ranks in the assembly.The crisis deepened as nearly 60 of the TMC's 80 MLAs arrived at the assembly for a meeting on Wednesday, which constitutues two-third of TMC's legislative strength, enough to split the party by dodging the anti-defection law, which was seen in the Maharashtra in 2022 when Eknath Shinde split the Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena.Earlier in the day, on nomination of West Bengal assembly LoP, TMC MLA Mustafizur Rahman told news agency ANI: "We don't know the exact figure... I am hearing from outside that 59 signatures have been recieved. I am hearing this. I have also signed".The crisis brewing ever scince the West Bengal mandate, which saw the decimation of the ruling Trinamool, exploded dramatically when a complaint was lodged at assembly secretariat by two TMC MLAs Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee.After the complaint, the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) summoned Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata's nephew and the party's No. 2, for questioning. It has already recorded statements of several MLAs as part of its probe into the forgery allegations.What began as a dispute over signatures has now exposed the deep divisions within the party at a time when it is still coming to terms with its worst electoral setback in over a decade.The signature row exploded into the open after Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari during a press conference claimed that two TMC legislators had filed complaints in connection with their "fake" signatures on a party resolution submitted in the state assembly endorsing Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of opposition.Amid growing speculation over unrest within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), former chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday addressed reports of a possible split in the party while speaking at a protest in Esplanade.Drawing a parallel between her critics and Mir Jafars, Banerjee alleged that efforts were being made to weaken the party and lure away its legislators.“Party legislators are not being allowed to leave home and cops are telling them to abandon TMC. They are being told to form a new Trinamool. Who will form it? Those who have been with the party since the beginning or those who have symbolically won? Bengal is witnessing bulldozer politics and everyone is being threatened.”The turnout at the dharna, however, raised eyebrows, with only eight of TMC's 78 MLAs and four of its 42 MPs participating in the protest.Adding fuel to the speculation, Tapas Roy, who was sworn in as a minister in Bengal's first BJP government on Monday and had remained with TMC until March 2024, referred to the "Maharashtra model" in a Facebook post and claimed that more than 50 TMC legislators could switch sides.“Trinamool has splintered. Its condition resembles what happened in Maharashtra. Ritabrata brought 50 MLAs to meet the speaker.”Speaking to reporters later, Roy said discontent within the ruling party was becoming increasingly visible.“There is a growing dissatisfaction among many netas and legislators. The developments indicate the party is heading towards a split, like what happened in Maharashtra.”