The Trinamool Congress (TMC) appears headed for a deeper internal crisis in the West Bengal Assembly, with a section of its MLAs reportedly backing expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee for the post of Leader of the Opposition (LoP).
The development comes even as the TMC, reeling from its recent electoral defeat, has officially endorsed Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay, a close aide of party supremo Mamata Banerjee, for the position.
Ritabrata Banerjee and fellow MLA Sandipan Saha were expelled from the party on Monday for skipping meetings convened by the leadership and allegedly engaging in anti-party activities.
The expulsion came shortly after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the two legislators had lodged complaints over an alleged "fake signature" controversy linked to TMC's endorsement of Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay as LoP. According to Adhikari, the MLAs alleged that the party's endorsement letter signed by 70 MLAs, of which 14 signatures were made in block letters, was manufactured and fabricated.
According to an NDTV report, a group of dissident MLAs is now demanding that Ritabrata Banerjee be appointed LoP, raising the prospect of an open rebellion against Mamata Banerjee's leadership.
The growing rift within the party became evident on Sunday when at least 60 of TMC's 80 MLAs reportedly skipped a meeting convened by the party chief.
Now, the signature controversy has intensified tensions within the party. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticised the expelled legislators, saying they should have approached the party leadership before writing directly to the Assembly Speaker.
"We did not win as independent candidates. We came to the Assembly on the Trinamool Congress symbol, using Mamata Banerjee's image and receiving the votes of those who supported her. If the TMC is bad, then why did you contest on a TMC ticket and seek votes in Mamata Banerjee's name?" Ghosh said.
Meanwhile, Adhikari said the Assembly Secretariat had lodged a complaint at Hare Street police station alleging forgery of signatures.
According to him, the investigation was transferred to the state CID on the directions of the Home Secretary, following which the agency questioned 13 TMC MLAs in the presence of handwriting experts and videographers.
"At least three TMC MLAs — Baharul Islam, Arup Roy and Subhasis Das — have told investigators that the signatures do not belong to them. In Baharul Islam's case, it has been established that he was not even present at the venue of the meeting in question," Adhikari claimed.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee asserted on Monday that the departure of leaders from the party fold for personal interests would help rebuild the organisation, and the TMC would emerge stronger from the crisis.
She said the TMC will go ahead with its planned sit-in in Kolkata against the alleged attacks on party leaders and workers, despite the police denying permission for it.
