TMC Implosion? 50 Rebel MLAs Back Ritabrata Banerjee As Rift Deepens Over Abhishek’s Power Hub

The Trinamool Congress is facing its gravest internal crisis since its founding in 1998, as a massive rebellion threatens to split the party in the West Bengal Assembly. Suspended spokesperson Riju Dutta claimed that roughly 50 MLAs are backing expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee in a Maharashtra-style coup, challenging Mamata Banerjee’s official nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, for the Leader of the Opposition post. Amidst explosive allegations of forged signatures and localized "cut money" scams, party anger is firmly directed at Mamata's nephew and political heir, Abhishek Banerjee, for centralizing control and relying heavily on I-PAC strategies that led to the party's recent electoral collapse.