Mamata Banerjee appeared on Facebook Saturday afternoon amidst claims and counterclaims over who represents the real Trinamool Congress in Bengal, the Assembly and Parliament, asserting she was still leading the party.
“Some people went to the office and locked it. We had rented the premises till October 2027. This is an institution’s property. Our property cannot be encroached,” Mamata said.
On June 22, the Ritabrata Banerjee faction had announced a new working committee and replaced the Trinamool’s founder chairperson Mamata Banerjee, with Howrah Madhya MLA Arup Roy. Around 20 Lok Sabha MPs from the Trinamool had also jumped ship and joined a little-known outfit, pledging support to the BJP-led NDA at the Centre.
A month after the twin rebellions, Mamata broke her silence, blaming the BJP for engineering defections.
"Before the election results, there was no rebellion. for 15 years these same people were MPs, MLAs and enjoyed the perks of being in power. I don't want leaders, I want workers," she said.
The former chief minister’s social media address came hours after another loyalist, former state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, stepped down as the Trinamool state president claiming Mamata had questioned her “loyalty”. Later on Saturday, she met Ritabrata Banerjee at the Assembly.
Without naming Bhattacharya, Mamata said she was given temporary charge because state president Subrata Bakshi was unwell.
“I am the chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress. I will also take charge of the state unit from today. I don’t have any other work. I will focus on the party,” Mamata said, adding that two MLAs from her camp, Kamarhati’s Madan Mitra and Beleghata’s Kunal Ghosh, were appointed as general secretaries of the party.
Montu Saha, the owner of the premises at A/P-1/A Canal South road, claimed the former ruling party had not cleared the rent and had been served an eviction notice.
Mamata produced some documents and receipts to counter Saha's charges that Bengal’s former ruling party had not cleared its dues.
“Cheques were deposited every month. We maintained the building, we paid a rent of Rs 1 lakh, we paid the power bill, we paid the corporation’s dues. You can lock a building, but you cannot lock people’s hearts,” the former chief minister said.
On Friday evening, leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee accompanied by rebel MLAs Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, Sandipan Saha, Akhruzzaman and others, had entered the premises and held a meeting. They locked the gate before leaving for the day. They claimed to have signed a new lease agreement with the owner.
The physical claim on the party office came a day after Ritabrata and the rebels had staked claim before the full bench of the Election Commission on the Trinamool’s name, symbol, assets and funds.
MLAs and leaders loyal to Mamata led by Kunal Ghosh assembled outside the locked premise and later lodged a complaint with the Pragati Maidan police station against the Ritabrata faction for illegal encroachment and criminal trespass.
“Remember, 30B Harish Chatterjee street always served as the office of the Trinamool Congress from even before the party was formed. It still functions and will continue in the future,” Mamata said.
The Trinamool Bhawan located in Panchannagram off the EM bypass in east Calcutta is being renovated. It is unclear whether Mamata was giving up the office on Bypass ahead of Monday, when both sides must present documents to the Election Commission to prove their claim on the party symbol and name, among other things.
Mamata said the annual July 21 rally will be held as it has always been though the Kolkata Police have denied permission to hold it around Victoria House in the heart of the city, where Mamata addressed party supporters every year even when the Left Front was in power.
“Even if I have to address the crowd from a rickshaw, the July 21 event will be held. The more you try to push us, the stronger we will emerge,” she said.
