Madan Mitra Quits Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool, Joins Rebels – NDTV

TMC MLA Madan Mitra has quit his positions within the Trinamool Congress and left the camp of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to join a rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. The move follows a deepening internal rift and comes one day after the Enforcement Directorate summoned Mitra’s wife and sons, according to reports from the Hindustan Times and NDTV.

Mitra, a veteran of the party, attributed his departure to the influence of Abhishek Banerjee. According to The Times of India, Mitra claimed that Abhishek Banerjee refused to step aside, contributing to the friction that led to his exit from the mainstream party leadership.

Madan Mitra joins Ritabrata Banerjee rebel faction

The shift sees Mitra aligning with the dissident group headed by Ritabrata Banerjee. This move is described by India Today as a fresh blow to Mamata Banerjee, given Mitra’s long-standing tenure and status as a party veteran.

Along with leaving the camp of the Chief Minister, Mitra has formally quit his party posts. The Telegraph reports that this decision is the culmination of a deepening rift within the Trinamool Congress, signaling a formal break from the party’s central command.

ED summons and internal party conflict

The timing of the departure coincides with legal pressures on Mitra’s family.

While the legal summons provided the immediate backdrop, the underlying cause cited by Mitra is political. He specifically blamed Abhishek Banerjee for the current state of affairs, alleging a lack of flexibility in the party’s leadership structure that made his position untenable.

Impact on Trinamool Congress leadership

Mitra’s claim that Banerjee refused to step aside highlights a specific point of contention regarding authority and succession within the TMC.