TMC Leadership Row: Election Commission Seeks Replies From Mamata and Ritabrata Banerjee

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has stepped into the growing leadership dispute within the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), writing to both Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee over competing claims regarding the party's organisational structure and authorised signatories. The poll body has asked both sides to submit their responses by 5:30 PM on July 6.

ECI seeks replies from both factions

The Election Commission's intervention comes as the internal battle within the Trinamool Congress intensifies, with the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee staking claim to the party's organisational legitimacy, including its administration and authorised representatives.

The Commission has directed both sides to file their responses by Monday evening, after hearing submissions from the rival faction.

Ritabrata Banerjee, who led a 10-member delegation to meet the full bench of the Election Commission, welcomed the interaction and thanked the Commission for hearing their case.

"A special session was held on 22nd June, and as per rules, we had sent our representatives to the ECI immediately after. We had given our documentation and requested that we want to meet the full bench," Ritabrata Banerjee said.

He further added, "So, we would like to thank the ECI that the full bench gave time to our 10-member delegation. They gave us a patient hearing. CEC Gyanesh Kumar and other Commissioners said that they will get back to us."

TMC rejects legitimacy of rival group

The Mamata Banerjee-led camp questioned the Election Commission's decision to engage with the breakaway group, arguing that Ritabrata Banerjee had already been expelled from the party.

TMC MP Sougata Roy criticised the rival faction's claims, saying, "These people have no credibility. Our question is why were they given a separate meeting? They should not have been allowed. Ritabrata Banerjee was expelled from the party. What right do they have, or how can they represent the party?"

TMC MP Sagarika Ghose also dismissed the group as lacking any legal standing under the Commission's rules.

"This isn't a faction at all. It's just a bunch of people gathered out of nowhere. Their 'self-appointed leader' has already been expelled from the party. The Commission's own rules state that only an authorised representative or a designated signatory of the party can write to the Commission and then meet with them. No one else can demand an appointment," Ghose said.

Crisis deepens after post-poll split

The dispute follows a major split within the Trinamool Congress after the party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

According to the rival camp, 58 of the party's 80 MLAs broke away from the Mamata Banerjee-led leadership. The rebel legislators subsequently backed Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and announced the formation of a new 30-member National Working Committee.

(With inputs from ANI)