Rift Widens In TMC As 58 MLAs Back Ritabrata Banerjee As Legislature Party Leader In Bengal

Kolkata: Following the crushing defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, discontent within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has intensified. In a significant development on Wednesday, as many as 58 dissident TMC MLAs backed expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of the legislature party and conveyed their decision to the Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose.

Did 58 MLAs submit the proposal?

According to reports, Ritabrata Banerjee, along with fellow rebel MLA Sandipan Saha and several others, met the West Bengal Assembly Speaker and submitted letters od suport signed by about 58 MLAs.

As per sources, the resolution declared itself the "real Trinamool."

The letter proposed the names of Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition and Raghunathganj MLA Akhruzzaman, as their chief whip.

What is the case?

The controversy began with a complaint by Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha alleging forged signatures of some MLAs on a resolution supporting the Leader of the Opposition. Based on the complaint, the Assembly Secretariat filed a case, which is being investigated by the CID.

Shortly after party supremo Mamata Banerjee questioned the role of the two MLAs and their names surfaced, Trinamool expelled Ritabrata and Sandipan on charges of anti-party activities.

Abhishek's proposal to the Speaker 

Earlier, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee submitted a proposal to the Speaker. In the letter, he proposed the names of Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition and Firhad Hakim as the Chief Whip.