Expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, the Uluberia (Purba) MLA, on Tuesday, 2 June launched a sharp public attack against party General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, alleging that the latter had sought Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) security cover following a hostile public reception in South 24 Parganas. The remarks came just a day after Ritabrata was expelled from the party alongside fellow legislator Sandipan Saha.

The Allegations Against Abhishek Banerjee

Speaking to reporters after making an unannounced appearance at the West Bengal Assembly premises on Tuesday afternoon, Ritabrata Banerjee claimed that Abhishek Banerjee had faced 'public anguish' at Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas on the afternoon of 30 May and had since sought central forces protection.

'What kind of a mass leader is he? After the party's landslide defeat on May 24, he kept himself home-bound for 26 days. Now, he is seeking central forces' security cover for himself. He had earlier claimed that the public is there to protect him. So why is he now seeking security cover?' Ritabrata said.

He added pointedly: 'We are not seeking any such security for ourselves. I may be termed as a traitor by some. But no one is branding me as a thief.'

I-PAC and the 'Corporate-Style' Charge

Ritabrata also trained his fire on the role of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), alleging that Abhishek Banerjee's attempt to run Trinamool Congress through a 'corporate-management style' via I-PAC had damaged a party built on the grassroots efforts of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

'There are very few leaders like Mamata Banerjee. I respected her, still respect her and will continue to respect her,' he said, drawing a pointed distinction between the two Banerjees.

Why the Two MLAs Were Expelled

The expulsion of Ritabrata Banerjee and Entally MLA Sandipan Saha on Monday came within minutes of a disclosure by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari that the two legislators had first brought to the notice of Speaker Rathindra Bose's office alleged signature mismatches in a TMC resolution concerning the allotment of four Opposition slots in the West Bengal Assembly.

Following the revelation, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police was assigned to probe the signature discrepancy. The TMC leadership moved swiftly to expel both MLAs, a sequence critics say underscores the internal fault lines now surfacing in the party.

Broader Context: TMC's Post-Election Turbulence

The episode reflects deepening fissures within Trinamool Congress in the aftermath of what Ritabrata described as a 'landslide defeat' on May 24. This is not the first time dissidents have publicly challenged Abhishek Banerjee's authority or the I-PAC-driven organisational model — but the expulsion of sitting MLAs and their subsequent counter-offensive marks a notable escalation. The CID probe into the signature matter adds a legal dimension to what is already a politically charged standoff.