Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) drama is playing out at a rapid pace.
With the party which was in power in West Bengal for 15 years splitting dramatically following last month’s electoral defeat at the hands of the BJP, rival factions are desperately trying to establish themselves as the ‘real TMC’.
Despite the rebels having the support of at least 65 MLAs out of 80, and having claimed to be the TMC’s legislature party in the Assembly, Mamata wrote to the Election Commission of India with a list of party office-bearers under her chairmanship and a 24-member National Working Committee.
Mamata also took action against a clutch of senior leaders who joined a meeting of the breakaway group a day earlier.
Former Mayor Firhad Hakim and ex-Sports minister Aroop Biswas, till recently the closest aides of Mamata, were expelled from ‘TMC’ for ‘anti-party activities.
Also expelled were six others — Javed Ahmed Khan, Arup Roy, Rathin Ghosh, Biplab Mitra, Sabina Yasmin and Snehasis Chakraborty – for being a part of the rebel group.
Mamata’s TMC faction had earlier issued showcause notices to these leaders.
Ritabrata, acknowledged by the Speaker as Leader of Opposition, on Monday announced the removal of Mamata as the party’s chairperson and the suspension of Abhishek Banerjee, while asserting that his faction is the “real Trinamool”.
