Trinamool's ex-cabinet exodus: Chandrima Bhattacharya latest to quit Mamata's camp
Synopsis
Almost the entire ministerial bench of Mamata Banerjee's 15-year West Bengal government has now defected to the TMC rebel majority faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. With former finance minister and state party president Chandrima Bhattacharya the latest to walk out, Mamata is left with barely a handful of vocal loyalists — and no replacement state president.
Key Takeaways
Chandrima Bhattacharya , former West Bengal MoS Finance (independent charge) and ex-state TMC president, resigned from all party posts on Saturday, 5 July and joined the rebel camp.
Nearly all heavyweight ministers from Mamata Banerjee 's 2011–2026 cabinet — including Firhad Hakim , Aroop Biswas , Javed Ahmed Khan , Jyotipriya Mallick , Siuli Saha , and Arup Roy — are now in the rebel majority faction.
Arup Roy , a four-time legislator from Howrah (Central) , was named chairman of the rebel faction's National Working Committee (NWC) last month.
Former ministers Bratya Basu , Dr Sashi Panja , and Soumen Mahapatra have maintained silence and not declared allegiance to either side.
Madan Mitra is the only former heavyweight minister and sitting legislator openly backing Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee .
Mamata Banerjee has not appointed a new state party president since Bhattacharya's resignation.
The political unravelling of Mamata Banerjee's grip on the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) deepened on Saturday, 5 July, as Chandrima Bhattacharya — the former West Bengal Minister of State for Finance (independent charge) and ex-state party president — resigned from all party posts and aligned with the 'rebel majority' faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. Her departure means that nearly the entire heavyweight ministerial bench from Mamata Banerjee's 2011–2026 cabinet has now crossed over to the rebel camp, leaving the former Chief Minister with a shrinking circle of loyalists.
Bhattacharya's Exit and Her Grievances
On Saturday afternoon, Bhattacharya, who was defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls, formally quit all her party positions. Shortly after, she held a meeting with the Ritabrata-led rebel camp, signalling a clean break from the Mamata faction.
She cited a direct challenge to her loyalty by Mamata Banerjee following the rebel camp's takeover of Trinamool Congress's main party office in Kolkata as a key reason for her exit. Bhattacharya also accused Mamata Banerjee of not allowing her to function independently as the erstwhile finance minister. As of the time of reporting, Mamata Banerjee has not named a replacement as state party president.
The Scale of the Exodus
Bhattacharya's departure is the latest in a cascading walkout of former cabinet heavyweights. The rebel majority faction now counts among its ranks former ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Javed Ahmed Khan, Jyotipriya Mallick, Siuli Saha, and Arup Roy.
Of these, Hakim, Khan, Saha, and Roy remain elected legislators. Notably, Arup Roy — a four-time elected legislator from the Howrah (Central) Assembly constituency in Howrah district — was appointed chairman of the rebel faction's newly formed National Working Committee (NWC) of Trinamool Congress last month, underscoring the institutional weight the rebel camp is accumulating.
Who Remains Silent — and Who Stands Firm
Two former cabinet ministers who have not yet officially joined either side are former Education Minister Bratya Basu and former Women and Child Development and Commerce and Industries Minister Dr Sashi Panja. Both lost their seats in the Assembly polls and have maintained silence, neither affirming loyalty to Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee nor announcing a move to the rebel camp.
Former minister Soumen Mahapatra has similarly stayed quiet. The sole former heavyweight minister who remains a sitting legislator and is vocal about his allegiance to the Mamata-Abhishek faction is Madan Mitra, whom Mamata Banerjee once described as the 'most colourful personality' in the party.
What This Means for Trinamool Congress
The scale of defections — spanning nearly the full ministerial roster of a 15-year ruling government — represents an unprecedented organisational crisis for Trinamool Congress. The rebel majority faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has already secured the party's main office in Kolkata and established a parallel leadership structure through the NWC. With the Assembly polls concluded and Trinamool now in opposition, the contest for the party's legal identity and cadre base is expected to intensify in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Not a protest. Mamata retains public name recognition, but name recognition without an organisational machine is a diminishing asset. The silence of Basu, Panja, and Mahapatra is itself a statement — seasoned politicians do not stay quiet unless they are calculating their next move carefully.
NationPress
5 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Chandrima Bhattacharya leave Mamata Banerjee's faction?
Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from all Trinamool Congress party posts on 5 July after Mamata Banerjee publicly questioned her loyalty following the rebel camp's takeover of the party's main Kolkata office. She also accused Mamata Banerjee of not allowing her to function independently as the erstwhile Minister of State for Finance.
Who is leading the Trinamool Congress rebel majority faction?
The rebel majority faction is led by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The faction has established a parallel leadership structure, including a National Working Committee (NWC) chaired by four-time legislator Arup Roy.
Which former ministers from Mamata Banerjee's cabinet have joined the rebel camp?
Former ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Javed Ahmed Khan, Jyotipriya Mallick, Siuli Saha, Arup Roy, and now Chandrima Bhattacharya have all joined the rebel majority faction. Of these, Hakim, Khan, Saha, and Roy remain elected legislators.
Which former ministers have not yet declared their position?
Former Education Minister Bratya Basu, former Women and Child Development Minister Dr Sashi Panja, and former minister Soumen Mahapatra have all maintained silence and not officially aligned with either the Mamata faction or the rebel camp.
Who is the only former heavyweight minister still publicly backing Mamata Banerjee?
Madan Mitra, a sitting legislator and former minister whom Mamata Banerjee once called the 'most colourful personality' in the party, is the only former heavyweight minister openly declaring continued loyalty to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
