In a notable challenge to party leadership, 60 rebel TMC MLAs rallied behind Ritabrata as the head of the legislature group and formally conveyed their decision to Assembly Speaker Rathindranath Bose. This development marked a critical juncture in the ongoing internal chaos within the party, which saw its strength reduced to 80 seats following the Assembly elections in May, 2026.
Moreover, during the press conference announcing the news, Ritabrata expressed that he envisioned former CM Mamata Banerjee — previously referred to as the supremo — continuing her role as the “chief advisor” of the party she established.
In another shift, influential Mamata aide Firhad Hakim tendered his resignation from his role as the mayor of Kolkata on Wednesday evening.
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These events transpired as Mamata organized a meeting at her residence. Senior leaders like Party MP Abhishek Banerjee, spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh, and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien were present during the discussions.
VIDEO | Kalighat, Kolkata: TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee holds a meeting at her residence. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, MLA and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh and party MP Derek O’Brien arrive.
The rebellion within the TMC took a decisive turn on Wednesday, as 58 dissident MLAs backed… pic.twitter.com/2aDmSFa2FD
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 3, 2026
Ritabrata, who faced expulsion from the party two days prior due to allegations of anti-party activities, was subsequently acknowledged by the Speaker as the Leader of the Opposition following support from 60 MLAs. He later received the keys to the office meant for the Opposition leader.
Ritabrata asserted that the “real” TMC, represented by the rebel faction, had no desire to separate from the party. He referred to the group as the main Opposition force in the Assembly.
This dissident group has appointed Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, Sabina Yasmin, and Seuli Saha as deputy leaders in the House, while Akhruzzaman has taken on the role of chief whip.
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The controversy emerged following a dispute surrounding the Opposition leader’s appointment. Last week, former TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had put forth Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay for the position. However, the nomination was not approved by the Speaker after Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha claimed that several signatures supporting the nomination were forged.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
First Published: Jun 3, 2026 6:50 PM IST
