NEW DELHI: As the Trinamool Congress faces its most severe internal turmoil in nearly three decades, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday asserted that his faction now commands the support of 64 MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly.
Speaking outside the assembly, Banerjee dismissed speculation about any alliance or merger with the Congress party. "We are the real Trinamool Congress. We are not merging with the Congress," he stated firmly.
The rebel leader claimed that backing for his camp had increased from 58 to 64 MLAs and could rise further. "The number of MLAs with us has already crossed 64. It may become 65 tomorrow when another MLA joins us. Naturally, we are the real Trinamool Congress. Who meets whom in Delhi is their matter and is immaterial for us," he said.
Banerjee announced that the dissident bloc would soon submit fresh documentation to the Speaker reflecting its increased strength. He also claimed the faction enjoys support from several MPs, district leaders, and local body representatives.
Rejecting suggestions of a possible merger with the Congress, Banerjee argued, "Most legislators are not merging with the Congress. Most MPs are not merging with the Congress. Many district leaders and local body representatives are also not merging with the Congress. Then where is the question of a merger?"
The latest claim marks another setback for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's camp after a group of 20 rebel TMC MPs informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of the formation of a separate parliamentary bloc led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, while extending support to the BJP-led NDA. The crisis first erupted in the Assembly when 58 MLAs backed Banerjee as leader of the opposition instead of the party's official nominee, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay. The rebellion has since spread to Parliament, with senior leaders resigning from the party and raising questions over who now holds the numerical and organisational strength within the TMC.
When asked what would happen if Mamata Banerjee eventually merged her faction with the Congress, Banerjee declined to speculate, saying: "Tomorrow will answer tomorrow's questions. As of today, the number is 64 and counting."
