Kolkata (TIP): The battle for control of the TMC escalated on Friday, July 3, when the rebel faction, led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, took charge of the party’s metropolitan headquarters in Kolkata, changed the locks, put up fresh posters and declared it would henceforth operate from the premises.
The new posters identified senior MLA Arup Roy as the party’s chairperson. Ritabrata said the faction would formally begin functioning from the office from Saturday.
The move came barely 24 hours after the dissident camp appeared before the full bench of the Election Commission in New Delhi to stake its claim over the party’s name, symbol and organisational structure.
Accompanied by senior leaders Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha and party treasurer Akhruzzaman, Ritabrata arrived at the office on the EM Bypass and held a meeting inside the premises, asserting that his camp represented the “real” TMC.
Senior leader Kunal Ghosh reached the office after learning of the developments but was unable to enter as the gates had been locked.
Describing the episode as “unfortunate”, Ghosh accused the dissidents of attempting to create confusion within the party.
Speaker set to rule on TMC, Sena rebel MPs before monsoon session
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birka is expected to take a call on the politically sensitive defection cases involving rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Shiv Sena (UBT) before the monsoon session of Parliament, sources familiar with the matter said. The Speaker has already held meetings with delegations from both the parent parties and the breakaway groups, as demands for the disqualification of the rebel MPs under the anti-defection law continue to gather momentum. Sources said consultations are underway with legal and constitutional experts attached to Parliament. Previous rulings in similar cases are also being examined to ensure that any decision is constitutionally sound and legally sustainable. The issue has significant implications for the composition of the Lok Sabha ahead of the monsoon session, expected to commence in the third week of July. The Lok Sabha Secretariat is also understood to be examining possible seating arrangements for various groups in the House.
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