Mamata holds closed-door huddle with selected leaders amid TMC turmoil
The closed-door meeting at Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence, attended by a select group of senior leaders, comes amid growing concerns within the Trinamool Congress after its Assembly election defeat and signs of internal unrest.
A meeting was held at Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence with a limited number of leaders invited to attend. The restricted attendance drew attention as the party continues to face political challenges following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Among those who entered Mamata Banerjee's residence were Chandrima Bhattacharjee, former MLA; Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen; Swarupnagar MLA Bina Mandal; Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee; former minister Rajiv Banerjee; and two former MLAs from Andhra Pradesh.
The meeting comes days after Mamata Banerjee returned to her "street fighter" avatar during a major protest in Kolkata on June 2.
Addressing the protest, she vowed to "fight or die" and accused the BJP of attacking Trinamool leaders, including her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, and intimidating party workers. She also alleged that the BJP was trying to break the Trinamool after "looting votes" in the elections.
The June 2 protest witnessed a limited turnout from the party's legislators, with only eight of Trinamool's 80 MLAs attending. Those present included Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Nayna Bandopadhyay, Madan Mitra, Ashok Deb, Asima Patra, Biman Banerjee, Firhad Hakim and Kunal Ghosh. MPs Dola Sen, Kalyan Banerjee, Derek O'Brien, Samirul Islam, Maneka Guruswamy and Nadimul Haque were also seen alongside Mamata Banerjee.
The low MP-MLA turnout at protest was seen as a sign of the challenges facing the Trinamool, which has been dealing with internal dissent following its May 4 defeat to the BJP.
The turmoil now appears to be spilling beyond West Bengal and into Parliament, with sources telling India Today TV that as many as 23 MPs are in touch with a rebel group of MLAs and that a split in the party’s parliamentary wing cannot be ruled out in the coming days.
The rift began after 60 of the party's 80 MLAs broke ranks and projected expelled first-time MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of their faction. The Assembly Speaker subsequently recognised Ritabrata as the Leader of Opposition, a move that further aggravated tensions within the party.
A meeting was held at Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence with a limited number of leaders invited to attend. The restricted attendance drew attention as the party continues to face political challenges following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Among those who entered Mamata Banerjee's residence were Chandrima Bhattacharjee, former MLA; Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen; Swarupnagar MLA Bina Mandal; Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee; former minister Rajiv Banerjee; and two former MLAs from Andhra Pradesh.
The meeting comes days after Mamata Banerjee returned to her "street fighter" avatar during a major protest in Kolkata on June 2.
Addressing the protest, she vowed to "fight or die" and accused the BJP of attacking Trinamool leaders, including her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, and intimidating party workers. She also alleged that the BJP was trying to break the Trinamool after "looting votes" in the elections.
The June 2 protest witnessed a limited turnout from the party's legislators, with only eight of Trinamool's 80 MLAs attending. Those present included Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Nayna Bandopadhyay, Madan Mitra, Ashok Deb, Asima Patra, Biman Banerjee, Firhad Hakim and Kunal Ghosh. MPs Dola Sen, Kalyan Banerjee, Derek O'Brien, Samirul Islam, Maneka Guruswamy and Nadimul Haque were also seen alongside Mamata Banerjee.
The low MP-MLA turnout at protest was seen as a sign of the challenges facing the Trinamool, which has been dealing with internal dissent following its May 4 defeat to the BJP.
The turmoil now appears to be spilling beyond West Bengal and into Parliament, with sources telling India Today TV that as many as 23 MPs are in touch with a rebel group of MLAs and that a split in the party’s parliamentary wing cannot be ruled out in the coming days.
The rift began after 60 of the party's 80 MLAs broke ranks and projected expelled first-time MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of their faction. The Assembly Speaker subsequently recognised Ritabrata as the Leader of Opposition, a move that further aggravated tensions within the party.
