The Trinamool Congress (TMC) was in deep trouble today as eight powerful leaders of the party including some of the state's top leaders were removed on charges of anti-party activity. The dramatic development took place at the very time when the party is in the midst of a leadership crisis and a crisis in leadership which has deepened divisions within the ruling party that is testing West Bengal more than ever before.
The leaders who were expelled from the party include Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Javed Ahmed Khan, Arup Roy, Rathin Ghosh, Biplab Mitra, Sabina Yasmin and Snehasis Chakraborty. Later in the day, the AITC had issued show cause notices to the leaders who it said had committed acts that were against the party’s interest as the party had not been in good interest. Just hours later, the party announced their expulsion and the party said it was one of its biggest disciplinary actions in recent times.
Internal Rift Explodes Into Open Rebellion
The move comes after a major political turn on Monday when a rebel group led by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee announced the formation of a new leadership structure for the All India Trinamool Congress Committee. Arup Roy was unanimously elected Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress as well as the new 30-member National Working Committee (NWC).
The rebel camp also appointed former minister Aroop Biswas and senior leader Firhad Hakim as vice-chairpersons, in a clear challenge to the current party structure. Several other expelled leaders such as Rathin Ghosh, Sabina Yasmin and Javed Ahmed Khan are included in the new leadership setup.
Ritabrata Banerjee told reporters after the meeting that the delegates had unanimously approved the new organizational structure. He said the newly set up committee will be in charge of party affairs and district-level committees and presidents would be appointed in the coming days as part of a wider restructuring process.
Rebel Faction Wants Mamata Banerjee as Mentor
Despite the apparent split, the rebel faction said that it still respects Mamata Banerjee and wants her to be at the helm of the organization.
"We have constantly stated our position regarding Mamata Banerjee's role in the TMC. We want Didi to assume the responsibility of a mentor and guide us," Ritabrata Banerjee said.
But the message is that the faction is not publicly distancing itself from the party’s most powerful leader. Some political analysts say this strategy is intended to gain the trust of party workers and supporters who still see Mamata Banerjee as the face of Trinamool Congress.
Questions Over Party Legitimacy Intensify
Now the conflict is about legitimacy, and both sides are claiming their position in the party. At a National Working Committee meeting chaired by Mamata Banerjee, Ritabrata Banerjee questioned the legitimacy of decisions taken by the rival faction, which only added to the political tension.
The expulsion of some heavyweight leaders will have large repercussions on West Bengal politics and the state’s future elections. Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas were both very prominent in the Trinamool Congress and their removal is a sign of the continuing power struggle.
With different leadership structures and disciplinary action ratcheting up, the coming weeks could be crucial for the Trinamool Congress’ future. The degree to which the party could contain the rebellion or face a more deep-rooted organizational split has been one of the major political questions in West Bengal in the past few years.
