"We are the Trinamool Congress": LoP Ritabrata Banerjee asserts authority

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 13 (ANI): Intensifying the ongoing leadership crisis within the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Ritabrata Banerjee asserted his faction's legitimacy, citing a purported court order to bolster his claim as the rightful administrator of the party.
The faction led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Ritabrata Banerjee has claimed a major legal victory, asserting their legitimacy to represent the party and utilise its name and symbol.
Addressing the media in Kolkata here on Sunday, Ritabrata Banerjee stated that a court order has provided relief to "ground-level" workers who were facing disruptions at party offices. He emphasised that the legal mandate restricts rival elements--including agents, associates, and those claiming affiliation--from interfering with the party's official administration.
"The court order explicitly restrains any individuals from representing themselves as office-bearers, issuing directions, or making appointments in the name of the party," Banerjee declared. He further specified that the restriction extends to the handling of party records, funds, bank accounts, and properties, as well as formal communications with statutory or constitutional authorities.
Banerjee reiterated that the National Working Committee, formed during the "special session" on June 22, remains the sole authority entitled to administer the affairs of the All India Trinamool Congress. With Arup Roy appointed as the committee's chairperson, Banerjee asserted that his faction is the true representative of the organisation.
"The National Working Committee elected during the special session on the 22nd is the only body authorised to govern the affairs of the party," Banerjee maintained. "This implies that we are the Trinamool Congress," he said.
The development marks a deepening of the internal crisis that has gripped the TMC following the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election results.
Earlier, on July 11, Ritabrata announced the constitution of a new leadership structure for the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Committee and appointed Arup Roy as its chairperson.
They also constituted a 30-member National Working Committee (NWC), while reiterating that he wanted Mamata Banerjee to play the role of mentor in the TMC.
He said the 30-member committee includes Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh, Sabina Yasmin, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha and others, while Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin have been appointed as vice-presidents. (ANI)