TMC Power Struggle Reaches Election Commission As Mamata, Rebel Camps Claim Control Of Party

A major political battle has erupted within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), with rival factions led by Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee approaching the Election Commission of India (ECI) with competing claims over the party’s leadership.

Both camps submitted separate national working committee lists to the Election Commission on Tuesday, each asserting that it is the legitimate authority within the party. The move formally sets the stage for a dispute over control of the Trinamool Congress, including its name, organisational assets and election symbol.

The development marks a dramatic escalation in the internal crisis that has engulfed the party, with both sides now seeking official recognition from the Election Commission.

Rebel Faction Removes Mamata Banerjee as Chairperson

The latest showdown follows a meeting convened by the rebel faction on Monday at a hotel in New Town, Kolkata. The group claimed the support of 65 of the party’s 80 legislators.

During the session, the legislators passed a voice vote removing party founder Mamata Banerjee from the post of chairperson. They elected Howrah Central MLA Arup Roy as the new party chief.

Roy served as a minister in the Trinamool Congress government between 2011 and 2026. The rebels justified their actions by citing a constitutional crisis under Article 20 of the party constitution, arguing that the three-year tenure of the national working committee constituted in February 2022 had expired.

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Demand for Recognition and Party Symbol

On Tuesday evening, members of the rebel bloc visited the office of the West Bengal chief electoral officer and submitted a letter seeking recognition as the official All India Trinamool Congress.

The faction also staked its claim to the party’s iconic twin-flower election symbol, a key asset in any future electoral contest.

Speaking outside the office, Ritabrata Banerjee said the rebel group enjoyed the backing of the majority of Trinamool legislators. “I cannot comment on the letter they submitted to the EC, but by now, people have seen that every time they form a new committee the members resign and leave. I can say for sure that the majority of the TMC MLAs are with us,” he said.

Mamata Camp Submits Revised Leadership List

In response, Mamata Banerjee’s faction sent a revised national working committee list to the Election Commission on Monday night.

The document, marked “as on June 20, 2026”, retained Mamata Banerjee as party chairperson and Abhishek Banerjee as national general secretary, signalling that the camp continues to reject the legitimacy of the rebel group’s actions.

A Trinamool Congress MP, on condition of anonymity, told Hindustan Times that 

the revised list names Subrata Bakshi as vice-president, Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen as joint secretaries, and former MP Subhasish Chakraborty as treasurer. Aroop Biswas was omitted from the updated committee.

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Leadership Dispute Heads for EC Review

The competing submissions have effectively transferred the party’s internal conflict to the Election Commission, which will now have to examine rival claims regarding organisational control.

Significantly, the Mamata Banerjee camp described its submission as the “original but minority” list, acknowledging that it currently lacks majority support within the party’s legislative wing.

With both factions claiming legitimacy and organisational authority, the Election Commission’s eventual decision could determine the future leadership of the Trinamool Congress as well as ownership of its name and election symbol.