Mamata-led TMC faction hits back, expels Firhad Hakim, Aroop Roy and 6 others over anti-party activities
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Mamata-led TMC faction hits back, expels Firhad Hakim, Aroop Roy and 6 others over anti-party activities")
Mamata Banerjee’s faction has submitted a list to the EC, naming her as chairperson of the All Indiia Trinamool Congress Photograph: (AFP)
The rebel TMC faction, led by LoP Ritabrata Banerjee, had on Monday announced the removal of Mamata Banerjee as the party’s chairperson and the suspension of Abhishek Banerjee while asserting that it is the “real Trinamool” and preparing to approach the Election Commission to stake its claim.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday expelled eight leaders, including former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim, Javed Ahmed Khan, Sabina Yasmin, Arup Roy, Rathin Ghosh, Biplab Mitra, Aroop Biswas and Snehasis Chakraborty. The expulsions came a day after the dissident camp “ousted” the former West Bengal chief minister as the party’s chairperson and suspended her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. The leaders expelled on Tuesday are in the rebel camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
Earlier in the day, the AITC had issued show-cause notices to these leaders over “anti-party” activities.
Mamata’s faction has also submitted a list to the Election Commission of India (ECI), naming her as the Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). The document also names Subrata Bakshi as vice president; Abhishek Banerjee as national general secretary and Lok Sabha leader, Derek O’Brien as joint secretary and Rajya Sabha leader, Dola Sen as joint secretary; and Subhasish Chakraborty as treasurer.
The rebel TMC faction, led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, had on Monday announced the removal of Mamata Banerjee as the party’s chairperson and the suspension of Abhishek Banerjee, while asserting that it is the “real Trinamool” and preparing to approach the Election Commission (EC) to stake its claim.
“It is not about what is real or not real. We are TMC and will inform the Election Commission about today’s special session proceedings,” he said.
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“We have functioned and convened this special session as per the norms. It is for the EC to decide what is wrong or right,” he added.
The TMC rebels also constituted a 30-member National Working Committee (NWC). Ritabrita reiterated that he wants Mamata Banerjee to play the role of mentor in the party. “We have repeatedly stated our stance regarding Mamata Banerjee’s role within the TMC. We want ‘Didi’ to assume the responsibility of a mentor and guide us,” Ritabrata said.
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The dissident camp elected MLA Arup Roy as the new chairperson of the party and appointed former minister Aroop Biswas and MLAs Firhad Hakim, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin as vice-chairpersons.
Ritabrata further said that district presidents and committees would also be constituted in the coming days.
The dissidents claim support of at least 60 of TMC’s 80 legislators, while 20 of the party’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs have already broken away and merged with the little-known Nationalist Citizens’ Party of India.
