The rebel faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, on Sunday, 12 July claimed that the committee it constituted on 22 June is the sole legitimate governing body of the Trinamool Congress, citing directives from an Alipore court. Banerjee made the assertion at a press conference in Kolkata, adding that no other body can legally claim to represent or operate the party.

What the Court Order Reportedly Says

According to Ritabrata Banerjee, ordinary Trinamool workers had filed a case before the Alipore court, and the court's ruling in that matter recognises the committee formed on 22 June as the only legally valid TMC committee. 'The verdict in that case has said that the committee formed on June 22 is the only legally valid committee,' Banerjee said at the press conference.

The 22 June meeting, described as the Trinamool National Working Committee session, elected Howrah Madhya MLA Arup Roy as chairman of the Trinamool Congress. Banerjee asserted that any individual outside this committee who claims to be a party office-bearer is acting illegally and cannot issue party instructions, access party records, operate bank accounts, or use party funds or property.

Battle Over the Metropolitan Party Office

Speculation has mounted over who will take physical possession of the Trinamool Congress party office in Kolkata's Metropolitan area. Banerjee confirmed he had recently visited the office and declared that only the Arup Roy-led faction would be entitled to use the building. He stated he plans to visit the Metropolitan office on Monday or Tuesday, and warned that it would be illegal for anyone outside the rebel camp to enter that office or any other Trinamool party office across the state.

Nirmal Ghosh Speculation and July 21 Plans

Separately, speculation has intensified over former Trinamool MLA from Panihati, Nirmal Ghosh, potentially joining the rebel faction after he attended one of its meetings on Saturday. Banerjee, however, distanced his group from any such association, saying: 'We have no contact with Nirmal Ghosh.'

The rebel faction has also announced plans to observe Martyrs' Day in Kolkata on 21 July — the same date that the mainstream TMC traditionally holds its flagship annual rally. Banerjee said leaders would inspect a site near the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road on Monday ahead of the event. On questions about anticipated turnout, he said he would consult the committee and prepare a mobilisation route map for supporters.

What This Means for TMC's Internal Crisis

The rebel camp's legal claim, if upheld on closer judicial scrutiny, could significantly complicate the mainstream TMC leadership's control over party infrastructure, finances, and official identity. This is not the first time a splinter group within a major Indian regional party has sought judicial validation to legitimise a leadership claim — courts have historically been cautious about adjudicating intra-party disputes, and the full legal standing of the Alipore court's directive remains to be tested. The developments come amid a broader churning within West Bengal's political landscape, with the TMC facing pressure from multiple directions ahead of future electoral cycles.