Why TMC MLAs’ revolt is against Abhishek Banerjee, not Mamata

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a split after the rebel faction got its own choice recognised for the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) post in the West Bengal Assembly. The seeds of rebellion were sown soon after Mamata Banerjee’s party lost the elections on May 4.

Dozens of rebel MLAs started expressing their dissatisfaction publicly. But their anger, as per them, is not directed at Mamata, but her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee.

Let’s take a closer look.

Signs of revolt

It all started at a meeting held at TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s residence, two days after the party’s defeat in the Assembly polls.

The former chief minister asked all MLAs to give a standing ovation to her second-in-command, Abhishek Banerjee, as per an Indian Express report.

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“Mamata Banerjee was not ready to accept defeat. When she asked us to stand up, many senior MLAs did not do so, but they also said nothing,” an MLA told the newspaper.

The MLAs were also reportedly unhappy with the leadership for not taking action against its Falta candidate, Jahangir Khan, believed to be close to Abhishek, after he withdrew his name from the repolling in his constituency without conferring with the party.

“Not only that, the leadership, especially Abhishek Banerjee, was so arrogant. Even after such a humiliating defeat, when asked about what the party was doing about Jahangir Khan, he just said, ‘See the party’s tweet.’ Mamata Banerjee also announced she would not resign as CM. After that, the seeds of the rebellion were laid,” a senior TMC MLA said.

As per Indian Express' TMC sources, it was then that the rebel MLAs began coordinating and laying the groundwork for the revolt.

Ritabrata Banerjee, who has become the face of the rebellion, met Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Delhi last week, sources added. After this, the TMC MLAs' plan to challenge the party leadership gained momentum.

Later, Ritabrata reportedly convened meetings at the MLAs’ hostel and in a private hotel in

Kolkata.

“All the MLAs started receiving calls to unite against the leadership that had largely been mum and not proactive. However, our main target was Abhishek Banerjee. We are not against Mamata Banerjee, but we can’t accept Abhishek’s leadership anymore,” a rebel MLA was quoted as saying.

Rebel TMC MLAs grouse against Abhishek Banerjee

Since his victory in the Uluberia Purba Assembly seat, Ritabrata Banerjee became vocal about his displeasure with the party’s internal functioning, even going on to target Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership style, reported India Today.

Ritabrata was among the TMC leaders who slammed the Diamond Harbour MP for hiring political consultancy outfit I-PAC for the Assembly elections. He claimed the party had been “hijacked” and no longer belonged to its roots.

Senior leaders such as TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Kalyan Banerjee also publicly accused I-PAC of “arrogance” and possessing no understanding of ground-level electoral politics.

Blaming the outfit for the party’s electoral defeat, some leaders claim I-PAC alienated the workers and mid-level leadership from the TMC high command.

Then came the signature forgery scandal.

Soon after the results, the TMC picked Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the LoP. However, MLAs Ritabrata and Sandipan Saha questioned the authenticity of signatures on the letter endorsing the octogenarian leader for the post.

On Monday (June 1), CM Adhikari said two Trinamool MLAs – Ritabrata and Saha – had informed Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose that they did not sign the party’s communication naming Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the House.

Their allegations led to the launch of a formal investigation by the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) into “Signgate".

The TMC promptly expelled Ritabrata and Saha, accusing them of “anti-party activities”.

After his expulsion, Ritabrata attacked the Diamond Harbour MP, saying: "The party has expelled me, but I believe that I am still with the TMC ... Abhishek Banerjee is nobody in the 18th West Bengal state legislative assembly."

However, his tone shifted when talking about the TMC chief. "Mamata Banerjee is a tall leader. I may be expelled from the party, but I have not lost respect for her. She is still my leader," he said.

On Wednesday, Ritabrata was recognised as the LoP in the Bengal Assembly by Speaker  Bose, after the expelled leader reached the House, with 59 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs, who supported him for the post.

Addressing the media, Ritabrata was careful not to project himself as an alternative to Mamata Banerjee. “We are representing Trinamool Congress in the Assembly. We are a block of 60 MLAs. We would request Mamata Banerjee to be our advisor and guide us. We will play the role of a constructive opposition,” he said.

According to News18, the rebel leaders have repeatedly asserted they do not plan to challenge Mamata’s leadership. However, their rift is with a small leadership circle around Abhishek and what they perceive as the growing consolidation of power in his hands.

Is Abhishek Banerjee’s TMC 'succession' under threat?

Abhishek Banerjee has long been viewed as the political heir of his aunt, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.

The TMC MP and national general secretary has emerged as the party's principal strategist, chief campaigner and organisational face after his aunt. His rise has increased concerns within a section of the party's old guard who feel sidelined, as per Times of India (TOI).

So, for the rebels, Abhishek succeeding Mamata is a big no-no. “We are against Abhishek Banerjee and have no problem with Mamata Banerjee’s leadership,” a rebel MLA told Indian Express. 

TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee addresses the media at party office, in Kolkata, May 4, 2024. File Photo/PTI

Their reluctance to challenge Mamata's leadership also seems a calculated political move. The TMC supremo is still the biggest leader in the party and one who can attract the masses.

If the rebels directly confront Mamata, they could risk alienating a large section of TMC workers and supporters, noted TOI. 

By challenging Abhishek, they can argue that their revolt is not against the party founder but a fight against a leadership style and an organisational model.

For years, Abhishek's succession appeared to be a done deal. The ongoing rebellion indicates that it may not be the case anymore.

With inputs from agencies