The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is planning legal action over the West Bengal assembly speaker's decision to appoint TMC rebel Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition, with the party MP Kalyan Banerjee terming the decision “illegal”.
“We have decided that the LoP appointed by the Speaker is illegal. We are approaching the Court against this on Monday. We will file a petition before the High Court,” Banerjee said. He further accused the BJP of “killing” TMC workers and lodging false cases against them.’
“We will fight on the streets, we will fight in Court,” Kalyan said after party leader and former CM Mamata Banerjee held a meeting at her residence in Kalighat area of Kolkata on Friday.
While the TMC is yet to come to terms with the crushing poll defeat at the hands of the BJP last month, it is now rattled by a rebellion after 58 MLAs staked claim to become the principal Opposition party in Bengal, vertically splitting the party.
Who all attended TMC meeting at Mamata's residence?
{{/usCountry}}While the TMC is yet to come to terms with the crushing poll defeat at the hands of the BJP last month, it is now rattled by a rebellion after 58 MLAs staked claim to become the principal Opposition party in Bengal, vertically splitting the party.
Who all attended TMC meeting at Mamata's residence?
{{/usCountry}}A total of 14 party leaders, including eight MLAs (of 80) and just six MPs, attended the party meeting called by Mamata at her residence. The leaders, according to news agency ANI, included:
MLAs
- Bina Mondal
- Ashima Patra
- Madan Mitra
- Kunal Ghosh
- Firhad Hakim
- Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay
- Biman Banerjee
- Ashok Kumar Deb
MPs
- Dola Sen
- Mala Roy
- Kalyan Banerjee
- Abhishek Banerjee
- Derek O'Brien
- Sudip Bandyopadhyay
MP rebellion next?
As crisis surround the TMC, veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy hinted that the rebellion that has shaken the party's legislative wing could eventually find an echo among its MPs as well, news agency PTI reported.
Roy said the scale and speed of the revolt in the assembly were unprecedented and indicated that similar political reactions could emerge in Parliament in the coming months.
"I have never seen around 60 MLAs leave in such a short span of time. What I am saying is that a similar reaction is likely in the Lok Sabha too," Roy said.
The comments immediately triggered speculation in political circles about possible fault lines within the TMC's parliamentary ranks, especially at a time when the party is grappling with the fallout of its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and an open challenge to Mamata Banerjee's authority from within.
Firhad Hakim resigns as Kolkata mayor
TMC MLA Firhad Hakim announced his resignation as Kolkata mayor on Friday amid brewing trouble for the TMC.
“I am resigning as Kolkata mayor because I am not able to work and I cannot disrespect the chair”, Hakim said as he announced his resignation.