Rebel legislators from the Trinamool Congress took possession of the party’s headquarters in Kolkata on Friday, one day after presenting their case for the party name and symbol to the Election Commission. The faction, headed by Ritabrata Banerjee and Firhad Hakim, returned from the capital and proceeded to Trinamool Bhavan on EM Bypass. Following discussions inside, the group reportedly secured the gates with padlocks. The rebels informed journalists that they had completed required procedures with the building owners and would now use the premises as their base. The previous day, the dissident leaders met the Election Commission in New Delhi, asserting they represented the legitimate Trinamool Congress and were entitled to its name and symbol. They later displayed an All India Trinamool Congress sign outside the office and named senior legislator Arup Roy as chairperson. Leaders loyal to Mamata Banerjee, including Madan Mitra and Kunal Ghosh, strongly condemned the action. Police and central security forces were posted at the site as tensions increased. Ghosh stated that a police complaint had been filed against those who entered and locked the building, noting that expelled members had no authority to access the premises. Kalyan Banerjee, another Mamata supporter, argued that operating from a separate office did not grant legitimacy to the claim. He described one rebel leader as facing criminal cases and said the group had no connection to the party office. The Mamata faction plans to contest the matter through legal and political channels. The Mamata camp also questioned the Election Commission meeting, stating that expelled members lacked authority to represent the party. The commission directed both sides to submit claims and counterclaims on organisational elections, signatories and control by 5.30 pm on July 6. The crisis escalated after most MLAs supported Ritabrata Banerjee’s challenge to Mamata’s leadership and elected Arup Roy as chairperson in a special session last month. The move followed weeks of revolt by 58 MLAs against the former chief minister, reportedly due to the rising role of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. The assembly speaker recognised the rebels as the legislature party. The Mamata group called the rebellion unconstitutional and linked it to the BJP, while the dissidents reinforced their position by seizing the headquarters.
