The revolt against the party leadership, especially general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, started after the Trinamool Congress lost the assembly election in West Bengal after staying in power for 15 years.
While at least 57 MLAs have rallied behind party-expelled Ritabarata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, sources said around 15-17 MPs may submit a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker on Monday in what could lead to a split in the party’s parliamentary wing.
The MLAs who attended Friday’s meeting at the party supremo’s residence in Kalighat were Madan Mitra, Beena Mondal, Ashima Patra, Firhad Hakim, Kunal Ghosh, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, former speaker Biman Banerjee and Ashok Deb. One MLA is in jail. Out of its 28 current Lok Sabha members, Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, Mala Roy and Sudip Bandopadhyay attended. From its 13 Rajya Sabha members, Derek O Brien and Dola Sen were present. “Many more MLAs are contacting us, and we expect the number to increase,” a dissident Trinamool Congress MLA told ET.
Kolkata Mayor resigns
Firhad Hakim on Friday resigned as the mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, claiming that he was unable to work properly.
“I will never be able to insult the chair where historical and iconic characters have worked. I am unable to work properly,” Hakim said.
