Mamata Banerjee's first post-poll protest in Kolkata amid TMC MLA revolt fears
Synopsis
Mamata Banerjee's first post-defeat public protest in Kolkata is already a test she may not fully control — two of her own MLAs were expelled the night before, a late-night meeting of veteran legislators at the MLA hostel has triggered defection talk, and minority-belt lawmakers are reportedly in contact with the expelled duo. With TMC down to 80 seats, Tuesday's turnout could be the clearest signal yet of how deep the cracks run.
Key Takeaways
Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a sit-in protest at the Y-channel, central Kolkata , from 2 pm to 4 pm on 2 June — her first public event since TMC's Assembly election defeat.
TMC expelled legislators Sandipan Saha (Entally) and Ritabrata Banerjee (Uluberia Purba) on Monday for alleged anti-party activities.
A CID probe has been initiated into alleged signature mismatches among TMC legislators, confirmed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari .
Veteran four-time TMC MLAs Javed Ahmed Khan and Seuli Saha — both former cabinet ministers — met the expelled legislators at the MLA hostel, Kyd Street on Monday night.
TMC's current strength in the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly stands at 80 MLAs .
Under the Anti-Defection Law , the expelled legislators can continue as MLAs for the full five-year term since they were expelled from the party, not the House.
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a sit-in demonstration in central Kolkata on Tuesday, 2 June — her first public appearance since the party's landslide defeat in the recently concluded Assembly elections. The protest, scheduled from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Y-channel in central Kolkata, focuses on the demolition of illegal structures in the city and the eviction of hawkers encroaching on railway land. However, the event is overshadowed by mounting uncertainty over how many of her own party legislators will show up.
Two MLAs Expelled on the Eve of the Protest
The crisis within the TMC deepened on Monday afternoon when the party expelled two of its legislators — Sandipan Saha from the Entally constituency in North Kolkata and Ritabrata Banerjee from Uluberia (Purba) in Howrah district — on charges of anti-party activities. The expulsions came hours after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari informed the media that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had initiated a probe into alleged mismatches in the signatures of TMC legislators. Both Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee had separately alerted Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose about the signature discrepancies.
Crucially, because the two were expelled from the party rather than the legislature, the Anti-Defection Law does not apply to them. Both can continue to serve as legislators for the remainder of their five-year term.
Late-Night Meeting Fuels Defection Speculation
Since their expulsion, Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee have reportedly been working to consolidate support among fellow TMC legislators. A late-night meeting on Monday at the MLA hostel on Kyd Street in central Kolkata drew two veteran, four-time TMC legislators: Javed Ahmed Khan from Kasba in South 24 Parganas district and Seuli Saha from Keshpur in West Midnapore district. Both were members of the previous Mamata Banerjee-led state cabinet.
Seuli Saha's response when asked about the meeting's agenda added to the speculation. 'We came to the MLA's hostel to check out the rooms allotted for us there. We met Sandipan and Ritabrata there. So, we chatted over a cup of tea. Remember, they have been expelled from the party. But they are not expelled as legislators,' she said.
Wider Discontent Within TMC Ranks
Party insiders with knowledge of the situation indicated that the disquiet extends well beyond the four legislators seen at the Kyd Street meeting. According to these sources, several other TMC legislators — including minority community representatives from Murshidabad and Malda districts — are reportedly in contact with the two expelled MLAs. This comes amid a broader reckoning within the party following its heavy defeat at the polls.
The TMC currently holds 80 seats in the 294-seat West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Any significant defection could further weaken the party's position as principal opposition.
What Tuesday's Turnout Will Signal
Political observers say the attendance of TMC legislators at Banerjee's sit-in protest will serve as a real-time barometer of internal party cohesion. A thin turnout would publicly underscore the fractures emerging within the TMC in the immediate aftermath of its electoral rout. The coming days are expected to be critical for the party's leadership as it navigates both an internal rebellion and its new role in the opposition benches.
Point of View
With veteran four-term legislators meeting expelled colleagues the very night before her comeback event. The CID probe into signature mismatches is an unusually aggressive move that suggests the ruling establishment is actively probing TMC's legislative ranks, and the expulsions that followed may have accelerated, rather than contained, the dissent. With TMC at just 80 seats and minority-belt MLAs reportedly in the mix, the party's ability to hold its reduced flock together will define whether Banerjee can rebuild — or whether this is the beginning of a prolonged fragmentation.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mamata Banerjee's protest in Kolkata on 2 June about?
Mamata Banerjee is staging a two-hour sit-in demonstration at the Y-channel in central Kolkata from 2 pm to 4 pm on 2 June, protesting against the demolition of illegal buildings in Kolkata and the eviction of hawkers from railway land. It is her first public programme since the TMC's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Why were Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee expelled from TMC?
Both legislators were expelled from the Trinamool Congress on Monday on charges of anti-party activities. The expulsions followed their decision to inform Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose about alleged mismatches in the signatures of TMC legislators — a matter that has since prompted a CID probe ordered by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Can the expelled TMC MLAs continue to serve in the West Bengal Assembly?
Yes. Since Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee were expelled from the party rather than the legislature, the Anti-Defection Law does not apply to them. Both can continue as legislators for the remainder of their five-year term.
Who attended the late-night MLA hostel meeting and why does it matter?
Veteran four-time TMC legislators Javed Ahmed Khan (Kasba) and Seuli Saha (Keshpur) — both former state cabinet ministers — met the two expelled MLAs at the MLA hostel on Kyd Street in central Kolkata on Monday night. The meeting has fuelled speculation of broader discontent within TMC's legislative group, particularly as party insiders say minority-belt MLAs from Murshidabad and Malda are also in contact with the expelled duo.
How many MLAs does TMC currently have in the West Bengal Assembly?
The Trinamool Congress holds 80 seats in the 294-seat West Bengal Legislative Assembly following its defeat in the recently concluded Assembly elections. Any significant defection would further weaken its position as the principal opposition party.
