TMC split: Mamata faction writes to ECI, claims 'real' working committee
Synopsis
The TMC is now formally split before the Election Commission. The Mamata Banerjee camp — self-described as 'original but minority' — has filed its own national working committee with the ECI, directly challenging a rival structure set up by a rebel legislative majority that has already dropped both Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee from the party's top posts.
Key Takeaways
The Mamata Banerjee -aligned TMC faction filed its national working committee list with the ECI on Monday night, 23 June .
The faction names Mamata Banerjee as national chairperson and Abhishek Banerjee as general secretary.
A rival 'rebel but majority' faction had earlier named former minister Arup Roy as chairperson, excluding both Banerjees.
Derek O'Brien , Dola Sen , and Subhasish Chakraborty feature in the Mamata faction's submitted list.
The ECI will now adjudicate which faction holds legitimate claim to the party name and symbol — a process with precedent in the Shiv Sena and NCP splits.
The Mamata Banerjee-aligned faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI), asserting that its list represents the party's legitimate national working committee. The communication was sent on Monday night, 23 June, hours after a rival 'rebel' faction of TMC legislators unveiled a competing leadership structure that excluded both Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
What the Mamata Faction Filed
Describing itself as the 'original but minority' group, the Mamata-aligned faction submitted its national working committee list to the ECI, staking a formal claim to the party's organisational identity. In the list, Mamata Banerjee is named national chairperson, Subrata Bakshi as national vice-president, and Abhishek Banerjee as general secretary.
The submission also names Rajya Sabha members Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen as joint secretaries, and former Rajya Sabha member Subhasish Chakraborty as treasurer. By filing with the ECI, the faction is seeking official recognition of its committee as the authoritative party body.
The Rebel Faction's Parallel Committee
The rival 'rebel but majority' faction — comprising a significant bloc of TMC legislators in the West Bengal Assembly — had announced its own national working committee on Monday evening. That committee named senior legislator and former minister Arup Roy as chairperson, replacing Mamata Banerjee. Former minister Aroop Biswas was appointed vice-chairman, alongside MLAs Firhad Hakim and Rathin Ghosh.
Opposition leader Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, and Sabina Yasmin were named general secretaries, with Akhruzzaman appointed treasurer. When asked to respond to the Mamata faction's ECI filing, Ritabrata Banerjee said he had no comments but wished the other faction well.
Why the ECI Filing Matters
In Indian politics, the Election Commission of India is the final arbiter when two factions of a registered party dispute ownership of its name, symbol, and organisational structure. Precedent from the Shiv Sena and NCP splits in Maharashtra has shown that whichever faction secures ECI recognition gains decisive political and legal advantage. The TMC dispute now enters that same high-stakes adjudication process.
Notably, the Mamata faction's self-description as 'original but minority' is a candid acknowledgement that the rebel bloc commands more legislative numbers — a factor the ECI has historically weighed, though it is not the sole criterion.
Background and What Comes Next
The split marks a dramatic rupture within the TMC, the party that has governed West Bengal since 2011 under Mamata Banerjee's leadership. The fissure appears to pit the party's organisational old guard, loyal to the Banerjees, against a legislative majority that has broken ranks. Both factions are expected to press their cases before the ECI in the days ahead, with the Commission likely to issue notices and seek responses before arriving at a ruling.
Point of View
Legislative headcount is not the only test, but it is a powerful one, as the Shiv Sena ruling demonstrated. The deeper question is how a party that dominated West Bengal politics for over a decade arrived at a point where its founder must petition the Election Commission to prove she leads it. The speed of the rebel committee's formation suggests this was not a spontaneous revolt, and the ECI battle ahead will be as much about internal party democracy as about symbols and names.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Mamata Banerjee faction write to the ECI?
The Mamata Banerjee-aligned faction wrote to the Election Commission of India on 23 June to assert that its national working committee is the legitimate one, countering a rival committee announced by a rebel TMC legislative faction that excluded both Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee from leadership.
What is the rebel TMC faction's new committee structure?
The rebel faction named former minister Arup Roy as chairperson, Aroop Biswas as vice-chairman, and MLAs Firhad Hakim and Rathin Ghosh as additional vice-chairmen. Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, and Sabina Yasmin were appointed general secretaries, with Akhruzzaman as treasurer.
How does the ECI decide between two factions of a split party?
The Election Commission of India adjudicates party disputes by examining factors including organisational support, legislative strength, and adherence to the party constitution. Whichever faction is recognised gains the right to the party name and election symbol, as seen in the Shiv Sena and NCP splits in Maharashtra.
Who are the key figures in the Mamata faction's submitted committee?
The list names Mamata Banerjee as national chairperson, Subrata Bakshi as national vice-president, and Abhishek Banerjee as general secretary. Rajya Sabha members Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen are listed as joint secretaries, and former Rajya Sabha member Subhasish Chakraborty as treasurer.
What does the TMC split mean for West Bengal politics?
The split marks the most serious internal rupture in the TMC since the party came to power in West Bengal in 2011. With the rebel faction claiming a legislative majority and the Mamata camp holding the party's founding identity, the outcome of the ECI process could reshape the state's political landscape ahead of future elections.
