Veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Rabindranath Ghosh on Sunday joined the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, a move that further widens the rift within the party following its humiliating defeat in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. Ghosh, a former minister and long-time TMC loyalist, blamed party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and the election strategist Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) for the electoral debacle.
Ghosh switches allegiance
Rabindranath Ghosh, who served as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, announced his decision to join the Ritabrata camp at a press conference in Kolkata. He accused Abhishek Banerjee of sidelining senior leaders and concentrating power within a small coterie, while I-PAC’s strategies backfired, leading to the TMC’s worst performance since 2011. “The party’s defeat is a direct result of the mismanagement by Abhishek and the flawed advice from I-PAC. They ignored grassroots workers and veterans like me,” Ghosh said. The TMC won only 98 seats in the 294-member assembly, a sharp decline from its 2021 tally of 213.
Rebel faction unveils statewide team
The Ritabrata faction, named after Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and former MP Ritabrata Banerjee, unveiled its first statewide organisational team on the same day. The team includes leaders from rival camps within the TMC, such as those loyal to Mamata Banerjee and those aligned with Abhishek Banerjee, in an attempt to present a united front against the current leadership. The faction has appointed district convenors and coordinators across all 23 districts of West Bengal, with an emphasis on rebuilding the party’s grassroots network. “We are bringing together all those who believe in the original ideals of the TMC,” Ritabrata said in a statement.
Impact on TMC unity
The defection of Ghosh, a prominent face from the party’s early days, signals growing discontent among senior TMC leaders. Political analysts say this could trigger more departures, especially if the Ritabrata faction gains momentum. The faction has also received support from several MLAs who lost in the 2026 elections, claiming that the party’s central leadership ignored local issues. Meanwhile, the official TMC leadership has dismissed the faction as a “small group of disgruntled individuals” and reiterated its confidence in Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership. “The party will emerge stronger from this challenge,” a TMC spokesperson said.
