The crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) appears to have deepened further, with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim reportedly seeking permission from party chief Mamata Banerjee to resign from his post. Sources indicate that Banerjee has accepted the request, though no official announcement has been made so far. The development comes at a crucial time for the party, which is grappling with its biggest internal challenge since losing power in West Bengal. A growing section of legislators has openly backed expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, raising questions over the party’s leadership structure and future direction.
Firhad Hakim’s Move Adds To TMC’s Troubles
Hakim, one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest associates and among the most influential faces in the party, has been at the centre of political discussions in recent days.
Speculation intensified after Hakim attended Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s administrative review meeting at Nabanna. His presence, along with several senior TMC leaders considered loyal to Mamata Banerjee, sparked fresh debate about shifting equations within the opposition camp.
Other prominent TMC leaders, including Nayana Bandyopadhyay, Ashok Deb and Kunal Ghosh, also attended the meeting.
Rebel Camp Flexes Muscle
The political situation escalated after a group of 58 rebel TMC MLAs formally extended support to expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee as the new leader of the legislature party.
The dissident camp submitted letters of support to Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose and proposed a fresh leadership structure. Ritabrata Banerjee was projected as legislature party leader, while Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha and Shiuli Saha were proposed as deputy leaders. Akhruzzaman, MLA from Raghunathganj, was nominated for the post of chief whip.
Several leaders of the rebel camp were present for Chief Minister Adhikari’s administrative review meeting, a sign of the widening divide within the party.
Signs Of A Growing Divide Within TMC
The cracks in Trinamool Congress were evident when the MLAs of the rebel camp abstained from the recent dharna by Mamata Banerjee at central Kolkata.
Other leaders belonging to the circle of the Kalighat leadership, like Hakim and Kunal Ghosh, also did not attend the Assembly meeting of the dissidents and were present at the administrative review meeting by the government. Political observers view these developments as a sign of increasing uncertainty within the party following its Assembly election defeat.
Earlier Meetings Triggered Speculation
Questions over changing political alignments first emerged when senior TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and 6 party MLAs attended an administrative review meeting convened by Chief Minister Adhikari in Kalyani.
While the BJP government has maintained that such meetings are administrative in nature and open to elected representatives from all parties, the participation of opposition leaders has generated considerable debate within the TMC.
Future Of TMC Under Spotlight
Previously, Kunal Ghosh defended participation in government meetings but acknowledged that the issue was being actively discussed within the party.
With Firhad Hakim now reportedly stepping down as Kolkata Mayor and the rebel camp continuing to assert its strength, the Trinamool Congress faces mounting questions over its leadership, unity and political future. The party will try to regain organisational unity and stop the uprising in the months to come, and these will be crucial.
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