TMC MLAs Loyal to Mamata Banerjee Request Separate Assembly Arrangements

A group of Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislators who remain loyal to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have formally requested separate seating and dedicated speaking time in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The request was made during a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, party sources said.

The delegation, led by veteran MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and including former TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh and MLA Madan Mitra, described the meeting as positive. They stated that Adhikari listened to their concerns regarding seating arrangements, security, and legislative functioning, and subsequently directed the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to address them.

The request stems from an ongoing factional dispute within the TMC. The Mamata Banerjee faction does not recognise Ritabrata Banerjee as the party's legislative leader, a position claimed by the rival bloc aligned with Adhikari. The group stated that as they are not part of the rebel bloc, they need separate arrangements to effectively participate in assembly proceedings.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kunal Ghosh said: “We, under leadership of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Madan Mitra, along with a delegation, met Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and asked for separate seating arrangement and time for placing our opinion in the Legislative Assembly as we are not the part of the rebel bloc and we have not accepted Ritabrata Banerjee as our party’s legislative leader. Chief Minister talked with us very patiently and showed utmost courtesy. He also talked with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and asked him to make some arrangements for us.”

The development highlights the internal divisions within the TMC after the 2021 West Bengal elections, when Adhikari became Chief Minister while Mamata Banerjee remained a key party figure. The state Assembly is scheduled to begin its next session in March.