Mamata Banerjee's troubles inside the Trinamool Congress are far from over after the party's exit from power in West Bengal. Rebel MLAs have now staked their claim on the party's own headquarters, putting up a poster outside the building that names Arup Roy as party president and describes Mamata Banerjee merely as an advisor. Leaders of the Ritabrata Banerjee faction insist that they represent the real Trinamool Congress and that the party office rightfully belongs to them.
Photos in the conference room, then a lock on the gate
The Trinamool Congress headquarters sits on Metropolitan Bypass Road in Kolkata, the same building where Abhishek Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee also hold office. The five to six storey building saw Arup Roy, Ritabrata Banerjee, Fariad Hakim and several other rebel MLAs arrive between roughly 6:30 and 7 pm. The group first went inside the building and sat in the main conference room, where photographs were taken. They then stepped outside and locked the office gate. After locking it, they put up a poster declaring Arup Roy as the chairman of the All India Trinamool Congress.
Two posters, two rival claims on the same wall
Outside the office, two posters now face each other, one carrying Mamata Banerjee's picture and the other showing Arup Roy. Supporters of Ritabrata Banerjee left the spot after fixing two locks on the gate. Kunal Ghosh arrived at the office shortly after, and police personnel reached the scene soon afterward. Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra told reporters that they have filed a complaint over the incident. They alleged that the rebel leaders entered the rented party office at the behest of the BJP and locked it, calling the act entirely illegal. Both leaders said they had already submitted their lease extension documents at the Pragati Maidan police station earlier. They also accused the police of acting like the rebel faction's B team, which is why they lodged the complaint and demanded action. Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra said the rebel leaders want to grab Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, but that this is simply not possible, adding that the public will give them their answer once the matter reaches the people.
An agreement running until August 2027
The Trinamool Congress office on the first and second floors of the building continues to function as usual. This is where members of the party's IT cell, youth wing and other wings sit, and all of them belong to Mamata Banerjee's camp. Work happens here only two days a week, Tuesday and Saturday, from morning to evening, while other members use the space on the remaining days. Mamata Banerjee's camp says it holds a valid agreement for the building until August 2027, and that this agreement gives them rightful control of the office. The first and second floors, along with the ground floor conference room, were reportedly handed to Mamata's camp on the basis of a whitewash arrangement for the building. Legally, the office currently belongs to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, which is why the building has not been vacated so far. Leaders from Mamata's camp allege that Arup Roy's faction is misusing this very lease and agreement to occupy the office and lock it.
