TMC Internal Crisis: Loyalists Sue Rebel Faction Over Forged Party Symbols
The Trinamul Congress faces deep internal division as loyalists file police complaints against a rebel faction for alleged forgery and impersonation. Both groups are now racing to secure permission for the upcoming annual Shaheed Dibos rally in Kolkata.
Highlights
- •TMC loyalists have filed police complaints against a rebel faction for forging party symbols and letterheads.
- •MP Dola Sen accused rebel leaders including Ritabrata Banerjee of impersonating official party functionaries.
- •The dispute intensified following a unauthorized meeting held in New Town to establish a new leadership.
- •Both factions are competing to hold the annual Shaheed Dibos rally at the same venue in Kolkata.
The internal factional dispute within the Trinamul Congress (TMC) has escalated significantly, leading to legal action between competing groups. Loyalists of party leader Mamata Banerjee have formally approached the police, filing two separate complaints against rebel leadership, which includes their designated chief Ritabrata Banerjee. These complaints center on allegations that the rival group has engaged in unauthorized activities, specifically the creation of fake party posts, the forgery of organizational symbols, and the misuse of official party letterheads.
The legal petitions were submitted on Saturday by Dola Sen, a Rajya Sabha MP representing the Trinamul Congress. In her filing at the New Town police station under the jurisdiction of the Bidhannagar City Police, she identified several key figures in the rebel faction—including Ritabrata Banerjee, Sandipan Saha, Javed Ahmed Khan, Arup Roy, and Biplab Mitra—as being responsible for impersonating party officials. The complaint highlights a specific event held on June 22 at a New Town hotel, where these individuals allegedly convened a special session under the TMC banner to establish an alternative leadership structure that excluded both Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee.
Escalating Internal Conflict and Legal Challenges
A second complaint was filed at the Pragati Maidan police station, further intensifying the TMC crisis. In this instance, Dola Sen specifically targeted Javed Ahmed Khan and Sandipan Saha for allegedly posing as party general secretaries. According to the complaint, these individuals used their falsified positions to summon former party councillors and representatives from various wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to a meeting held on Saturday evening at the Calcutta Boating and Hotel Resorts in Topsia.
Addressing the allegations, Ritabrata Banerjee maintained a composed stance, noting that anyone has the right to approach the authorities. He emphasized that the legal system and the Election Commission exist to address such disputes and urged for public trust in these institutions. The friction between the two factions has reached a critical point as both sides are currently preparing for the party’s significant annual commemorative event, Shaheed Dibos (Martyr's Day). This event, scheduled for July 21 at Dharmatala in Esplanade, honors 13 Youth Congress workers who lost their lives in 1993 during the Communist regime's tenure.
Both factions have independently petitioned the Kolkata Police for permission to conduct their respective ceremonies at the same location, directly in front of Victoria House, which serves as the CESC headquarters. On Sunday, members of the loyalist camp, including Kunal Ghosh, visited the site to commence preparations. Conversely, Sandipan Saha reaffirmed the rebel faction’s intent to observe the day at the identical site, asserting their claim to represent the authentic Trinamul Congress.
