The battle for control of the Trinamool Congress intensified on Friday after the rebel faction led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee took control of the party’s organisational headquarters in Kolkata. The move came a day after the faction approached the Election Commission, staking its claim to the party’s name and election symbol.Ritabrata Banerjee, accompanied by senior leaders including Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha and Akhruzzaman, visited the party office on Friday and held a meeting, claiming that his faction was the “real” Trinamool Congress.Leaders aligned with the faction said the required formalities with the owners of the premises had been completed and that the office would now serve as their organisational headquarters.“We are the Trinamool Congress and this office belongs to the Trinamool Congress. There is an emotional connection between the party and this office,” Akhruzzaman was quoted as saying by PTI. The Metropolitan office has functioned as the Trinamool Congress’ operational headquarters since 2022, after the party shifted there when its original office on the EM Bypass underwent reconstruction. By taking control of the premises, the rebel faction sought to strengthen its claim as the party’s legitimate organisational leadership amid its continuing dispute with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction.The development comes amid an intensifying power struggle between the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction and the camp loyal to former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, with both sides claiming to be the legitimate Trinamool Congress following the party’s defeat in the recent Assembly elections.While the dispute has so far revolved around rival organisational claims, party resolutions and legal proceedings, Friday’s move marked a significant development, as the rebel faction sought to establish its presence at the office that has served as the party’s operational headquarters since 2022.Friday’s development came a day after a delegation led by Ritabrata Banerjee met the full bench of the Election Commission in New Delhi.The delegation met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners, presenting its claim over the Trinamool Congress’ organisational structure and leadership.The meeting drew criticism from the Mamata Banerjee camp, which argued that leaders who had been expelled from the party had no authority to represent it before the Election Commission.The Election Commission subsequently wrote to both factions, asking them to submit their respective claims and counterclaims on organisational elections, authorised signatories and control of the party by 5.30 pm on July 6.
