Rebel TMC 'draws in' more Mamata loyalists to boost claim on party with EC. Here is the list

TMC rebel group MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. (Photo: ANI/File)

In a bid to strengthen its case before the Election Commission of India to stake claim on the Trinamool Congress symbol and funds, the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction claimed to have drawn in several Mamata-loyalists into its fold, including former food and forest minister Jyotipriyo Mullick and former Birbhum district TMC president Anubrata Mondol.

After a two-day meeting in Kolkata, the rebel group also announced the formation of state and district committees.

"Our state committee and district committees have been formed. We have nominated eight spokespersons for our party. We will also commemorate July 21 Martyrs Day near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Maidan," said Ritabarata while speaking to mediapersons.

According to sources, during its two-day meeting at a private resort in Kolkata, Mullick and Mondol, both considered close to Mamata Banerjee, also joined the rebel camp.

On Friday, the Ritabarata-led camp announced Biplab Mitra as the party state president and Javed Ahmed Khan as the state working president.

He also announced names for the party's various wings. Sabina Yasmin was made the Trinamool Mahila Congress state chief while Baharul Islam was made the minority cell president.

On Saturday, the group also finalised district committees as Ritabrata named Jyotipriyo Mullick as a member of the state committee and Anubrata Mondol as president of Birbhum. Mullick recently resigned from all party posts, citing ill health.

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Earlier in a meeting, the group formed its national working committee, replacing Mamata Banerjee with Arup Roy as the chairperson.

According to sources, Mondol gave his consent to join the camp over the phone. "He was scheduled to join the meeting but could not due to ill health. He is in touch with Ritabrata… His name has been cleared as Birbhum district president," said a senior MLA from the group.

"We will have to form our state committee and district committees after having the national working committee in place. That is why we held the two-day meeting. We will submit the names to the Election Commission of India," said Arup Roy.

On Saturday, more party leaders from the Mamata camp were seen at the meeting. Leaders such as former Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, former MLA Nirmal Ghosh, former minister Jyotsna Mandi and former MLA Tajmul Hossain were present.

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Meanwhile, the Mamata camp also held a meeting on commemorating July 21 Martyrs Day in Kolkata.

TMC Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee said, "We held a meeting on July 21 Martyrs' Day programme. Despite threats, many workers and leaders attended the meeting. It is not leaders but workers who are precious to us. In future, we will choose leaders from those who are with us."

Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More

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