Mamata Banerjee takes charge as Trinamool’s Bengal chief amid party rebellion

In a rapid organisational reshuffle amid a widening internal revolt in the Trinamool Congress, party supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday assumed charge as the party’s West Bengal state president, hours after Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from the post and crossed over to the rebel camp led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee.

Announcing the decision in a Facebook Live address soon after Bhattacharya’s resignation, Banerjee said she would not appoint a replacement for the state president’s post and would instead hold the position herself.

At the same time, she named loyalist MLAs Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra as Trinamool’s two state general secretaries in West Bengal, signalling a quick effort to tighten control over the party apparatus as the rebellion deepens.

In a combative address, Banerjee also challenged leaders and legislators aligned with the rebel faction, asking them to join the Bharatiya Janata Party openly instead of claiming to represent the “real” Trinamool Congress.

She accused the dissident camp of trying to gain control of the party’s name, election symbol and funds, but asserted that the party’s real strength lay with its workers and supporters rather than formal recognition alone.

Banerjee said that even if the rebels were somehow able to secure the party symbol, she would still take her fight directly to the people. “You will have to kill me to silence my voice,” she said, striking a defiant note as she sought to rally the organisation around her leadership.

She also sought to reassure party workers over uncertainty surrounding Trinamool’s annual Martyrs’ Day rally on 21 July, saying the programme would go ahead as scheduled despite the turmoil within the party. Kolkata Police have already granted permission for the event at its traditional venue near Esplanade in central Kolkata.

“If necessary, I will stand on a rickshaw and organise the rally,” Banerjee said, underscoring her intent to project control over the party and its street mobilisation machinery despite the growing challenge from within.

With IANS inputs