Former West Bengal Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from all posts in the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday, 4 July and immediately aligned with the rebel faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, deepening the ruling party's internal crisis in West Bengal. The move is seen as a significant blow to the camp of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, which is already battling a majority challenge within its own ranks.

The Defection and What Followed

Shortly after submitting her resignation to Mamata Banerjee, Bhattacharya proceeded directly to the West Bengal state assembly, where she attended a closed-door meeting with Ritabrata and other legislators from what is being described as the 'rebel but majority' faction. Bhattacharya, who was defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal assembly elections, offered a measured but pointed explanation for her exit. 'Everyone has to ultimately make the journey as per the time's requirement,' she told reporters when asked about attending the rebel meeting.

Explosive Budget Allegation

Bhattacharya's most striking disclosure centred on her role as finance minister. Despite presenting the state budget on the floor of the assembly every year, she alleged she was never consulted during its preparation. 'Even I was not aware of what would be in the budget speech even a day before presenting the budget. I was made aware of the budget details just a couple of hours before the presentation on the floor of the assembly,' she said. She added that her loyalty to Mamata Banerjee had kept her silent until now, but that loyalty had been called into question after she was reportedly blamed for the Friday takeover of the party office. 'I had no other option but to resign from all party posts,' Bhattacharya said. She also indicated she was deliberately withholding further disclosures, citing the oath of secrecy she took as a former member of the state government.

Loyalist Camp Hits Back

TMC legislator Kunal Ghosh, one of the more visible faces remaining in the 'original but minority' faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, responded sharply. 'If anyone decides to join hands with traitors, there was nothing left to be said on that decision,' Ghosh said. He also questioned the timing of Bhattacharya's exit, noting she had held the most important portfolios in the previous Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet. 'Wasn't she proud then? Why did she leave now, when the party has been defeated?' he asked.

The Broader TMC Crisis

This comes amid a widening schism inside the TMC following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections. The rebel faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee who was expelled from the party, has been steadily drawing in senior figures, and Bhattacharya's defection marks the highest-profile departure yet. The loyalist bloc around Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee is now visibly in the minority within the legislative party, raising questions about the party's structural future in the state. With more revelations reportedly being held back, the fallout from this split is far from over.