The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to both factions of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee, respectively, seeking responses regarding “claims and counter claims” made by them with respect to organisational elections and authorised signatories.

Both sides have been asked to submit their responses by 5:30 p.m. on Monday (July 6, 2026), sources in the ECI said on Thursday (July 2, 2026).

Earlier in the day, a full Bench of the poll body met the rebel faction of the party led by the Uluberia Purba MLA Ritabrata Banerjee.

The Mamata Banerjee side of the party, however, questioned the ECI’s decision to grant an audience to the rebel faction, alleging that the meeting violated the poll body’s own procedures of granting appointments to only authorised signatories of a recognised political party.

TMC submits response to EC, rejects rebel faction’s claim as ‘fraudulent’

“The ECI had informed all parties about their rule where only authorised representatives of parties can request a meeting with a full Bench of the ECI. We have not asked for any meeting. On what grounds is the ECI meeting the breakaway MLAs of the party? We decide who represents our party. Gyanesh Kumar (Chief Election Commissioner) has no role or power to decide for us,” TMC MP Saugata Roy told media persons.

After the meeting with the ECI, Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee said the 10-member delegation led by him had formally placed its case before the poll panel, after informing it of the faction’s special organisational session held in Kolkata on June 22.

The Commission gave them a “patient hearing” on their claim over the party, he said, and expressed hope that the poll body would respond shortly

Even as he declined to disclose the documents submitted to the ECI, Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee said the rebel faction had “abided by all rules” while conducting the June 22 organisational session.

“The All India Trinamool Congress had a special session in Kolkata on June 22. Immediately after the session, we formally informed the Election Commission about it in writing. We also met the Election Commission in Kolkata and sought an appointment with the Election Commission of India,” he said, adding that this was part of the prescribed procedure, and that the faction had already completed the process.

Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee reiterated the faction’s claim that it represented the “real” Trinamool Congress.

On June 3, 58 Trinamool Congress MLAs submitted a letter to the West Bengal Assembly Speaker nominating Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly. This was against the party’s decision to nominate 10-time MLA and veteran leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay to the position on May 20.

On June 22, the “rebel” group removed Ms. Mamata Banerjee, who founded the party in 1998, as the TMC chairperson, appointing their own national working committee of the party. On the following day, they moved the ECI to lay claim to the party name and symbol.

The group led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee, following a meeting of the TMC’s national working committee on June 20, informed the ECI of the changes made in the party organisation, including the appointment of two joint secretaries — Dola Sena and Derek O’ Brien.

In the Lok Sabha, too, the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party saw a split, with 20 out of 28 MPs merging into the little-known Nationalist Citizen Party of India. 

Loyalists of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee within the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday (June 3) said that an expelled leader such as Ritabrata Banerjee cannot function as their Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. This comes after 58 Trinamool MLAs joined hands with Mr. Banerjee and defected from the party and declared themselves the principal Opposition party in the house. They also declared Mr. Banerjee their Leader of the Opposition. 

“The MLAs who won are all Trinamool candidates and have used the image of Ms. Mamata Banerjee to win. She has worked hard to make these MLAs win. Now, an expelled leader cannot be the head of a political party,” senior Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh said, criticising the 58 MLAs who have rallied behind Mr. Banerjee. 

Mr. Ghosh further added that “Ms. Banerjee is the original Trinamool Congress” — the leader who gave birth to the party. “She is the Maa of Trinamool,” Mr. Ghosh said. 

Mr. Banerjee along with MLA Sandipan Saha were expelled from the party on Monday on allegations of “anti-party activities”. 

After the rift in the party, senior leader and Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee said that “people who stand by Ms. Mamata Banerjee today will continue to stand by her in the future”. 

“Those who chose to betray Didi today will ultimately be judged by the people. Their actions only reinforce the perception that they are no different from the BJP,” Mr. Kalyan Banerjee wrote. He further added that the true strength of the Trinamool lies in the grassroots workers of the party. 

Other supporters of Ms. Mamata Banerjee too echoed the sentiment. “Trinamool means Ms. Mamata Banerjee and people. People and Ms. Mamata Banerjee are both with the Trinamool,” MP Dola Sen said while on her way to attend a meeting at Ms. Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat. 

Speaking on similar lines, Trinamool’s Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra and other old loyalists of the party said that their party has only one leader and that is Ms. Mamata Banerjee. “What others are saying is not something I concern myself with,” Mr. Mitra said. 

Party units dissolved 

Earlier in the day, in an effort to curb dissent, Trinamool dissolved all party units across West Bengal. All frontal organisations run by the Trinamool also stood dissolved, the party said, highlighting the need for a massive overhaul after a humiliating electoral loss on May 4. 

“The party will undertake a comprehensive exercise of introspection, performance review and organisational assessment at every level. Based on the findings of this exercise, the organisational structure of the parent body and all frontal organisations will be reconstituted and announced in due course,” the Trinamool said in an official statement on their social media platforms. 

However, the developments led to rumours in the State and its political circles that the Trinamool party has been dissolved. However, Mr Ghosh said that the party continues to exist and that the rumours of it being dissolved are false. “The various committees of the Trinamool Congress have been dissolved, not the party itself,” Mr Ghosh said. He added that they are set to reimagine their structures and will set up the committees and local bodies in the coming days. 

The Calcutta High Court granted permission to Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) to file a petition in the court seeking protection against any coercive action by the West Bengal CID over its probe on allegations of signature forgery against him. The court is likely to hear the matter later this week.

The legal team representing the Trinamool moved the court challenging the case. Mr. Abhishek’s counsel reportedly argued that the leader had no connection with the case. 

A vacation Bench of Justice Apurba Sinha Ray allowed the matter to be heard on Friday (June 5), sources said.

Later during the day, Enforcement Directorate officials reached Mr. Abhishek’s residence in Kalighat and served him a notice, asking him to appear before them for questioning in the primary teacher recruitment scam.

Two Trinamool MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee (of Uluberia Purba) and Sandipan Saha (of Entally), had filed an official complaint with the West Bengal Assembly Speaker, stating that the Trinamool general secretary had forged multiple signatures in a letter declaring Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the party’s choice for the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the House. Following this, an FIR was filed against Mr. Abhishek, and the CID was told to probe the case.

The letter, submitted by Mr. Abhishek on May 20, to announce the party’s decisions on the LoP and Chief Whip for the Assembly, had signatures of approximately 70 MLAs approving the choice. However, nearly 12 names in these were highlighted in bold. Mr. Ritabrata and Mr. Saha have alleged that these signatures were forged and have claimed that many MLAs, like them, were not involved in the selection process. 

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had said that the complaints by the two Trinamool MLAs led to the filing of an FIR and summons against Mr. Abhishek. Subsequently, the two MLAs were expelled from the party. 

The CID team had summoned the Trinamool’s second-in-command and had asked him to appear in Bhawani Bhawan (the State police headquarters) on June 1. However, he did not appear before the CID officials and had sought a 15-day extension citing health issues. CID officials had also visited his residence. 

The controversy over forged signatures has triggered a rift in the Trinamool as the party has split into two. At least 58 MLAs have engineered a split in the party and declared themselves the principal Opposition with Ritabrata Banerjee as their choice for Leader of Opposition.

Mr. Ritabrata said that Mr. Abhishek may appear before the CID for a deposition on Thursday (June 4).