NEW DELHI: Mamata Banerjee, the chairperson of Trinamool Congress (TMC), has formally addressed the Election Commission (EC), urging it to refrain from granting additional time to the rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee in an ongoing dispute regarding the identity of the ‘real’ TMC.
In her correspondence, Mamata expressed concerns over the EC’s ‘stoic silence,’ which she argues has inadvertently provided the dissenting faction with extra ‘elbow-room.’ The internal conflict intensified when Ritabrata Banerjee’s group approached the EC on July 2, asserting their claim as the ‘real’ TMC. They claimed that they had communicated organizational changes instituted during a special session held on June 22 and sought official recognition of those modifications.
After this claim, the EC requested both factions, including Mamata’s camp, to submit their responses by 5:30 PM on July 6. Mamata’s team complied within this timeframe, while the rebel faction received an extension until 5:30 PM on July 10.
In her letter dated July 12, Mamata pointed out that there had been no communication from Ritabrata’s faction even two days post the extended deadline. The letter stated, ‘Though it is well past 10th July 2026, and it has been about 2 days therefrom, there has not been any communication made to the undersigned from the end of Shri Ritabrata Banerjee concerning such reply,’ as quoted by news agency PTI.
Sources have reported that the EC had instructed both parties to keep each other updated regarding their submissions. Mamata interpreted the lack of communication as a failure by Ritabrata’s faction to respond by the EC’s stipulated deadline, suggesting that the EC had also not received the necessary answer within the given extension.
In her letter, Mamata criticized the discrepancy in treatment between the two factions. She noted that while Ritabrata’s group was afforded extra time, her faction was not given similar leeway. She further elaborated that her side received only ‘virtually two half-working days’ to formulate a response to the communication dated July 2, 2026.
Mamata continued to express her dissatisfaction with the EC’s continued inaction even after the deadline had passed. She stated, ‘Even after the delay of another 48 hours from 10th July, your good office has maintained a stoic silence, giving further elbow-room to Shri Banerjee, demonstrating your inclination towards the mala fide cause of Shri Ritabrata Banerjee.’
In the face of these developments, the TMC leadership has firmly rejected the rival camp’s assertion of being the ‘real’ TMC, emphasizing that their organizational committees remain valid until 2027 according to the party constitution. They pointed out that the last organizational elections took place in 2022 and contended that the rebellion’s claim of cessation for these committees in 2025 is both factually and legally untenable.
