Ritabrata's TMC removes Mamata as party supremo, suspends Abhishek; Arup Roy appointed chairperson

In a sensational and unprecedented political development within West Bengal's political landscape, a rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has virtually staged a coup within the Trinamool Congress (TMC). During a special session organized at a prominent five-star hotel in Newtown on Monday afternoon, the faction effectively challenged the absolute authority of party founder Mamata Banerjee. In a dramatic move that has blindsided party loyalists, the pro-Ritabrata camp voted to suspend the party's All India General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, while announcing an entirely parallel organizational framework.

The breakaway faction moved quickly to establish its structural identity, declaring Howrah Central MLA Arup Roy as the "real" Trinamool Chairperson. Senior leaders Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, and Rathin Ghosh have been designated as the Vice-Chairmen of this newly formed elite circle. This leadership overhaul has naturally sparked intense speculation over Mamata Banerjee’s ultimate role in the party she built, although Ritabrata Banerjee publicly downplayed the rift by suggesting that the veteran leader should continue to guide the party strictly in an advisory capacity.

The radical ideological and visual shift was glaringly evident in the branding of the Newtown conclave. The official session banners conspicuously omitted the portraits of both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, replacing them with images of Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, alongside the traditional TMC symbol. The rebellion drew significant ground support, with high-profile representatives from three major districts—including Birbhum leaders Kajal Sheikh, Chandranath Sinha, Abhijit Sinha, and Ashish Banerjee—joining the closed-door proceedings.