Mamata Banerjee on Saturday sharply criticized the rebel group that has divided the Trinamool Congress. She accused the dissidents of collaborating with the BJP to create a split in the party and challenged them to join the BJP openly if they possessed the resolve. During a Facebook Live session, her first since the TMC faced its major crisis, Banerjee defended her leadership, condemned the rebels, pledged to proceed with the party’s July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally despite reported administrative obstacles, and noted that while individuals may depart, an institution continues to exist.
Her comments followed the resignation of long-time associate Chandrima Bhattacharya as the TMC’s West Bengal president and from other party roles. In response to Banerjee’s claims, the BJP stated that TMC leaders were departing because the alleged cut-money culture, which it said had sustained the party, had concluded after the saffron party assumed power.
Banerjee said she dared the disloyal and ungrateful individuals abandoning the party to join the BJP directly and confront her if they had the courage, rather than engaging in what she described as a dishonest BJP-backed scheme.
She questioned the dissenters on their prior inaction, asking where their opposition had been before the elections and during the past 15 years when they served as MPs and MLAs on TMC tickets and held ministerial and other key government positions.
She praised loyal workers as the party’s greatest asset in challenging times and urged the rebels, who left with their belongings, not to repeat their disloyalty toward the voters who supported them.
Regarding Bhattacharya’s departure, Banerjee remained detached, noting that Chandrima had expressed a desire to resign for some time and that her son had already aligned with the rebels. She added that the loss of a few leaders to the BJP did not concern her.
Banerjee stated she would continue as party chairperson and serve as the TMC’s Bengal president until veteran leader Subrata Bakshi recovers. She also announced the appointment of Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra as general secretaries.
On the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel group’s approach to the Election Commission claiming the party’s symbol, she said people in Bengal would recognize such actions as disloyal.
She expressed indifference to the symbol, confident it would not be taken, and vowed to campaign with it among the public. She accused the rebels of succeeding only due to her endorsement of their nominations and betraying the party at the BJP’s direction.
Banerjee condemned the rebels’ attempt to seize the party headquarters on Friday by changing the locks. She asserted that no one could seize the Trinamool Congress’s assets or offices, noting that while a building could be locked, people’s support could not.
She confirmed the rent agreement for the building runs until October 2027 and that payments for rent, maintenance, and electricity had been made consistently.
Banerjee also addressed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC leader, wishing him well while reminding him of his past affiliation with the party and Congress. She recalled assisting him in elections and development work across districts.
She warned against cruelty in governance, suggesting it could have repercussions.
