Mamata, Abhishek vs 'Asli TMC': How Trinamool Congress turned against itself in 2 weeks

In less than two weeks, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) - the political force that dominated West Bengal politics for decades - has undergone the biggest split in its 28-year existence. What began as murmurs after TMC's shock defeat in the May 4 assembly election results ended with 58 MLAs walking out, a rebel faction being officially recognised, and a new phrase entering Bengal politics: Asli TMC.

The trigger: anger over Abhishek Banerjee's growing hold over the party. The result: the biggest split in TMC's 28-year history.

What is the TMC internal crisis about?

The first challenge came on May 19 when Ritabrata Banerjee and Entally MLA Sandipan Saha questioned why Falta MLA Jahangir Khan hadn't been expelled despite publicly withdrawing from the repoll. This was seen as a direct challenge to Abhishek Banerjee, prompting the candidates to name their campaign: "Operation Crown Prince". 

On the surface of it, the TMC split was triggered by a signature forgery row as several MLAs alleged that their signatures were forged on documents regarding the party's legislature leadership submitted to the Speaker.

The split, however, has been fueled by a perceived succession battle and targets centralisation of power in Abhishek's hands. 

When Mamata asked MLAs to applaud Abhishek for his role in the election campaign at a meeting on May 6, it didn't go down too well with the MLAs and gave the impression that the party is working for one family.

A total of 58 TMC MLAs broke away from the party in just 13 days, electing rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as their new legislative leader. When the party responded to the forged signatures row by expelling Ritabrata and Sandipan Saha on June 1, the move backfired on TMC as it accelerated defections and pushed fence-sitters firmly into the rebel camp. 

On June 3, West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose recognised the rebel group. As a result, Ritabrata Banerjee was elected as the leader of the legislature party and a new leadership team was nominated.

How serious is the situation inside TMC?

The defection of 58 MLAs is not a fringe revolt but severe enough to be called the biggest rupture in the party's existence. The Speaker's recognition is not just political white noise but also gives the faction a legal and institutional standing. 

The internal split became all the more evident when a May 31 meeting at Mamata's residence saw poor attendance from MLAs, publicly signalling that the leadership's authority had eroded. The muted response within sections of the party was a thunderclap of reality for Mamata as it came after Abhishek Banerjee was attacked by a mob in Sonarpur on May 30. 

Besides this, around 60 MLAs openly defied her choice for the Leader of the Opposition, showing that her authority in the party is dwindling by the day. 

Is Mamata Banerjee directly affected by the internal conflict?

Rebels have been careful not to target Mamata directly despite the May 6 meeting, directing their attack at the "crown prince" instead. The split, however, is being considered as a direct blow to her authority and puts to the fore the lack of an internal mechanism to manage dissent.

A party that was built entirely around one leader now has no institutional shock absorbers, implying that her personal standing is no longer sufficient to hold the organisation together on its own. 

Who all are still standing by Mamata?

Amid the ongoing rebellion, Mamata's support base inside the TMC has narrowed drastically as only a fraction of the party's MLAs and MPs attended her meetings and a recent protest. Only 8 out of the total 80 MLAs and 6 out of 41 MPs attended Mamata's protest. 

Firhad Hakim, among the most prominent leaders backing the former West Bengal CM, has recently stepped down as the Kolkata Mayor after Mamata accepted his request to do so. Sovandeb Chattopadhyay is in the pro-Mamata camp and was chosen by her as LoP in the state assembly before the rebels challenged this move. 

A small group of MPs and veteran organisational leaders continue to back her leadership publicly despite the mounting pressure from the rebel faction. 

Could this impact TMC’s political strength in West Bengal?

The rebel MLAs attended a government review meeting chaired by Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari immediately after the split, implying an alignment with the ruling party.

If the rebels formally merge with the BJP, the anti-TMC vote consolidates dangerously. If they choose to stay independent, they would split the anti-BJP vote.