Signatures, Expulsions And Two-Thirds Rule: TMC Internal Battle Over LoP Confronts New Bengal Speaker Rathindra Basu

· Free Press Journal

Internal power struggle within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has now officially spilled over into the legislative corridors. The battleground has shifted directly into the chamber of the newly elected Assembly Speaker, Rathindra Basu.

With conflicting claims, allegations of forged signatures and the strict lens of the anti-defection law, the political crisis has reached West Bengal's legislative head to decide who truly speaks for the opposition bench.

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What is the core conflict Inside the Assembly?

The crisis centres on a high-stakes race to claim the powerful post of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP).

According to an official letter sent on Wednesday, which was publicly shared on X by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, the mainstream TMC leadership has formally requested Speaker Rathindra Basu to recognise veteran leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the official Leader of the Opposition. The party has also proposed Ashima Patra and Nayana Bandopadhyay as deputy leaders and Firhad Hakim as the chief whip.

The mainstream leadership is urging the Speaker to validate these appointments based on decades of legislative precedent. The party's official communication cited past instances from 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 where the Speaker routinely accepted the majority party's nominations—including the 2021 appointment of Suvendu Adhikari.

Who is challenging the TMC leadership?

The mainstream faction faces a direct challenge from an internal rebel faction led by MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. On Wednesday, Ritabrata Banerjee arrived at the Assembly accompanied by a stream of lawmakers, including Arup Roy, Shiuli Saha, Akhuzzaman and Sabina Yasmin. According to statements made by Yasmin to the press, the group gathered to hold an independent meeting to select their own leader, claiming the decision-making power belonged to the collective lawmakers present rather than the central party high command.

Ritabrata Banerjee

Ritabrata claimed to hold the written support of 59 MLAs, presenting a massive headache for the ruling party’s hierarchy. While he initially dismissed rumours of a total party collapse as mere speculation, the presence of numerous lawmakers aligned with his faction indicates a deep, structural fracture within the legislative party.

Why has a signature scandal triggered expulsions?

The battle turned hostile following explosive allegations of forgery regarding how the initial opposition leader was chosen. According to a press conference held at the state secretariat, Nabanna, by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, two MLAs—Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha—filed a formal, written complaint to Speaker Basu.

The rebel Trinamool MLAs allege that during a party meeting on May 6, the leadership never actually passed a formal resolution to elect an LoP. Instead, they claim the leadership took the standard attendance register, forged it into a fraudulent resolution and used those signatures to back their preferred candidate.

In swift retaliation to these public accusations, the TMC leadership officially expelled both Ritabrata and Saha from the party. Following his expulsion, Ritabrata publicly targeted his former party over internal corruption.

However, when pressed by reporters on Tuesday about whether he could guarantee that 50 MLAs would stand firmly by his side, he took a more cautious tone stating that he could not take responsibility for anyone's final actions except his own and fellow expelled MLA Saha.

How the anti-defection law affects the battle

The ultimate fate of both factions now hinges heavily on anti-defection laws and mathematical proportions within the Assembly. According to established constitutional rules, if a rebel faction breaks away from the main political party, they must constitute at least two-thirds of the elected legislators to be recognised as a legitimate split or merger.

West Bengal Assembly

If Ritabrata's rebel faction fails to meet this two-thirds threshold, every single rebelling lawmaker risks losing their original party affiliation and, consequently, being disqualified from their seats in the Assembly. This steep penalty explains the intense political manoeuvering as both sides try to secure solid commitments from floating MLAs.

What is the role of Speaker Rathindra Basu?

The final decision now rests entirely on the shoulders of the newly elected Speaker, Rathindra Basu. Basu, a first-time lawmaker who won his maiden election representing Cooch Behar South for the BJP, was elected to the Speaker's chair unopposed. Now, he finds himself thrust into a complex constitutional crisis immediately upon taking office.

Because the LoP position is legally awarded to the leader of the recognised, undivided opposition party holding the largest number of seats, Basu must evaluate the validity of both claims. Amid the ongoing signature scandal, the Speaker has temporarily withheld sealing or confirming any individual's name for the post. His final ruling will dictate whether the mainstream TMC leadership maintains control or if the rebel faction gains official recognition, effectively reshaping West Bengal's legislative scenario.

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