TMC Rift Deepens? MLA Sandipan Saha Questions Party Leadership After Skipping Mamata Banerjee Meeting
Amid growing political turbulence within the Trinamool Congress, fresh questions have emerged after party legislator Sandipan Saha openly criticised the manner in which key organisational decisions were handled and defended his decision to stay away from a crucial meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee.
The Entally MLA argued that the process surrounding the selection of the party's Leader of Opposition, deputy leader and chief whip in the Assembly was not carried out according to established procedures. According to him, concerns over procedural lapses remained unresolved, making participation in the meeting unnecessary.
His remarks have added to the challenges facing the party at a time when questions are being raised over an alleged signature controversy linked to a letter submitted to the Assembly Secretariat. The document reportedly carried signatures of several newly elected legislators expressing support for veteran leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay for the post of Leader of Opposition.
Saha also pointed to what he described as serious irregularities in the preparation and submission of the list. He suggested that mistakes in the documentation had led to the current controversy and noted that scrutiny was inevitable because of those discrepancies.
The issue has drawn attention to the role of Abhishek Banerjee, whose name surfaced in political discussions due to his position within the party organisation. The Diamond Harbour MP has already received a notice from the state CID in connection with the ongoing investigation and has indicated that he will respond after consulting legal experts while extending cooperation to investigators.
The controversy unfolded alongside a poorly attended legislative party meeting at Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kolkata. Of the party's 80 MLAs, only around 20 reportedly attended, forcing the leadership to defer formal proceedings. Although informal discussions were held with those present, the low turnout triggered speculation about dissatisfaction and internal differences within the party ranks.
Party leaders have attributed the absences to ongoing protests and political developments following recent incidents involving senior TMC leaders. However, Saha's public criticism has intensified debate over whether deeper organisational issues are beginning to surface within the party after its electoral setback.
