Is Trinamool Congress heading for a split? Whiffs of ‘operation Shinde’ in Bengal

With the budget session of the West Bengal assembly starting on 8 June 2026, a split in the legislature party of Trinamool Congress appears imminent. Following reports that only 20 of the 80 elected TMC MLAs turned up to attend a meeting of MLAs, the party was forced to expel two MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, on Monday. Both MLAs were named by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari and lauded for complaining to the Assembly Speaker that their signatures on a letter signed by Abhishek Banerjee were forged.

The letter addressed to the speaker was apparently to claim the position of leader of the Opposition in the assembly for party veteran Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay. According to one version assembly officials found discrepancies between signatures on the documents submitted and those recorded during the oath-taking of newly elected MLAs. The Assembly Secretariat subsequently lodged a complaint, leading to a CID investigation.

Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha have claimed that signatures collected during an earlier party meeting were later used in the documents submitted, which they considered unethical and improper. The two MLAs subsequently approached the assembly speaker with their complaints. It is not clear why it was necessary to forge signatures of the two MLAs or how many signatures were genuine. However, once the chief minister publicly confirmed names of the two TMC MLAs as whistle blowers, TMC was left with no option but to expel them in a bid to contain the damage.

Ritabrata Banerjee, a former MP who had earlier been expelled by the CPM for anti-party activities, claimed sources in the BJP, had been encouraged to split the party and become the LoP himself. The ‘rebels’ are said to have met in a city hotel and claimed to have the support of between 30 and 50 MLAs. They are looking to mobilise sufficient number of MLAs to stake their claim to be the ‘real TMC’ and enable the speaker to allot them the position of the LoP.

The BJP, observers have been quick to suggest, would like to weaken Mamata Banerjee and implicate her and her loyalists in multiple cases. But the party does not want, they believe, the former chief minister to vacate entirely the opposition space. If TMC is totally decimated, they argue, the void may be filled by the Left Front and the Congress. Adding two factions of the TMC in this opposition space would suit the BJP by dividing the opposition’s space.

Speaking on a Facebook Live session, the TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee criticised opportunists seeking to abandon the party after enjoying the privileges when the party was in power. She sought to

put up a brave face and asserted that TMC is not a party of leaders but of workers. "Leaders may be afraid, but party workers are not. They became MLAs and MPs because the party gave them ticket. The moment the party faces a setback, some people begin making arrangements elsewhere. If anyone thinks they can destabilise the Trinamool Congress, they are mistaken," she warned.

In a pointed comment seen as directed at Ritabrata Banerjee, she added, "It was a mistake to give tickets to such people. We trusted them, gave them opportunities and responsibilities. Today they are repaying that trust with betrayal." Her loyalists like Kunal Ghosh described the duo as "traitors" who chose to attack their own party less than a month after being elected on its symbol. "If they had so many objections, why did they contest the election on a Trinamool ticket? Internal issues should be discussed within the party, not used as weapons against it," Ghosh said sharply.

"Some are being threatened, some are being tempted. But Trinamool Congress cannot be broken so easily. Our real strength lies with our workers and supporters," she added.

Mamata Banerjee loyalists point out that Ritabrata Banerjee had been photographed chatting with Suvendu Adhikari at Banga Bhawan in New Delhi during Adhikari’s thanksgiving visit to New Delhi before being sworn in. They allege that Banerjee explored the possibility of joining the BJP but was encouraged to

remain within the TMC legislative party and attempt to secure the post of Leader of the Opposition for himself.

TMC insiders admit differences over the choice of the Leader of the Opposition. While a section of the MLAs reportedly favoured Kunal Ghosh for the role because of his aggressive style and ability to counter the BJP inside the assembly, others felt that his perceived proximity to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee could create discomfort among some legislators.

The party leadership settled on Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, a veteran politician respected across factions. One senior legislator said, "Sobhandeb-da is not tainted by controversy and is someone who can speak to everywhere. He has the experience and stature to keep the legislative party united." Others acknowledge concerns regarding his age and health. "Nobody questions his integrity or political experience. The only concern is whether his physical condition will allow him to handle all the demands of the leader of the Opposition's role," a party source said.

The CID investigation has meanwhile expanded, with Abhishek Banerjee being summoned in connection with the matter. Abhishek did not appear on the scheduled date, citing illness, and has reportedly sought additional time.