TMC splits as Bengal speaker recognises rebel group

The Trinamool Congress split for the first time in its 28-year history on Wednesday as 58 rebel MLAs seized control of the party's legislature wing, elected expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee as its leader and secured recognition from the West Bengal assembly speaker.

Banerjee, however, sought to temper the rebellion by urging the former chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to serve as chief adviser to the newly constituted legislature team, even as the dissidents declared themselves the "real" Trinamool Congress in the assembly.

The dramatic development marked the culmination of a revolt that began with allegations of forged signatures on a letter proposing a Leader of Opposition and snowballed into an open challenge to the party leadership following the TMC's defeat at the hands of the BJP in the assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference in the assembly after meeting Speaker Rathindra Bose, Ritabrata Banerjee claimed that the dissident camp enjoyed the support of a two-thirds majority of the TMC's 80 MLAs and had formally staked its claim to lead the legislature party.

"Our claim has been accepted by the Speaker," Banerjee said.

Claiming legitimacy based on numbers, he asserted that the dissident faction now represented the true opposition in the House.

"The TMC legislative party is a team of 58 MLAs who won on the TMC symbol," he said.

Banerjee said two more legislators, currently outside the state, had conveyed their support and were expected to formally join the camp soon.

The rebel leader said the speaker had accepted the new composition of the legislature party and opened the office meant for the Leader of the Opposition for him.