TMC rebel faction forms parallel leadership structure, claims support of 64 MLAs

Kolkata: The Ritabrata Bandopadhyay-led dissident group of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), claiming the support of 64 MLAs, on Monday formed a new 30-member national working committee and named Howrah Central MLA Arup Roy as its chairperson.

The group will take decisions collectively, unlike earlier when decisions were made by a single individual, Bandopadhyay said. "If Mamata Banerjee agrees to advise us, we will accept it," he said.

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Bandopadhyay, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, is a member of the national committee, which includes Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, Akhruzzaman, Sabina Yasmin, Rathin Ghosh, Sandipan Ghosh, Mohd Golam Rabbani, Snehashish Chakraborty, Chandranath Sinha, Kajal Sheikh and Prasun Bandopadhyay, among others.

The committee was constituted in accordance with Election Commission rules, Bandopadhyay said, adding that state-level committees would be formed later.

The group has also decided to appoint a special auditor after several MLAs raised concerns about the party's accounts, he said.

Aroop Biswas, Firhad Hakim, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin have been appointed vice-presidents of the party. Sandipan Saha, Biplab Mitra, Javed Ahmed Khan and Ritabrata Bandopadhyay have been named general secretaries, while Akhruzzaman will serve as chief treasurer.

Roy said the group would stand by AITC workers. "Since 1998, we have fought for the people of Bengal. It is a difficult fight, and we will stand by the workers," he said.

Meanwhile, TMC spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh said the rebel group's actions were against the party's constitution.

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"It is a comedy show. A man who has been expelled from the TMC is holding a special session. The matter is in court, and we believe justice will be done. We do not attach any importance to such comical behaviour," he wrote on social media platform X.

He added: "TMC = Mamata Banerjee. Everything else is a circus."