Power Struggle in All India Trinamool Congress Escalates as Rival Camps Approach Election Commission

MP, June 24, 2026, Kolkata: An intense internal power struggle within the All India Trinamool Congress has now reached the doorstep of the Election Commission, marking one of the most significant organisational confrontations in the party’s recent history.

The conflict centres around competing claims of authority between party supremo Mamata Banerjee and a breakaway faction reportedly led by Ritabrata Banerjee, both asserting control over the party’s national organisational structure.

On Monday night, Mamata Banerjee moved swiftly to reinforce her authority by submitting a revised list of the party’s National Working Committee to the Election Commission of India. The move is being viewed as a direct counter to developments emerging from the rival faction.

According to the list sent from Kalighat, Subrata Bakshi has been designated Vice Chairperson, while Abhishek Banerjee continues as National General Secretary. Senior leaders including Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen have been named Joint Secretaries, while Subhasish Chakraborty remains Treasurer.

The committee also includes several senior party figures such as Amit Mitra, Moloy Ghatak, Gautam Deb, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Birbaha Hansda, Kalyan Banerjee, Saugata Roy, Nadimul Haque, Madan Mitra, Mahua Moitra, and Kunal Ghosh.

In a parallel development, Mamata Banerjee is also reported to have taken disciplinary action against eight leaders accused of “anti-party activities,” including Firhad Hakim, Javed Ahmed Khan, Sabina Yasmin, Arup Roy, Rathin Ghosh, Biplab Mitra, Aroop Biswas, and Snehasis Chakraborty.

Meanwhile, the rebel camp has intensified its organisational assertion. On Tuesday afternoon, a five-member delegation led by Ritabrata Banerjee visited the office of the State Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata and submitted representations to the Election Commission offices in both Kolkata and New Delhi. However, the delegation did not publicly disclose the details of their submissions.

Earlier, the rebel faction had convened a separate organisational meeting in which it announced a parallel National Working Committee, notably excluding both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. In that announcement, Arup Roy was named as Chairperson, while Ritabrata Banerjee was assigned the post of General Secretary.

The developments have triggered a parallel claim of legitimacy between the two camps, with both sides now formally engaging the Election Commission to assert their organisational control.

With competing lists, expulsions, and counter-claims of authority emerging within hours of each other, the crisis has added a new dimension to the internal dynamics of the party. Political observers note that the coming response from the Election Commission may prove crucial in determining which faction holds legal and organisational validity in the ongoing dispute.