In a sharp escalation of the bitter internal power struggle rocking the Trinamool Congress, the official faction led by Mamata Banerjee has lodged a police complaint against rebel leaders, accusing them of criminal impersonation, forgery, cheating, and the unauthorised use of the party’s name, logo, and symbol.
TMC MP and joint national secretary Dola Sen filed the complaint on Saturday at New Town Police Station (with a parallel complaint also lodged at Pragati Maidan Police Station) under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The complaint, filed on behalf of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), targets the breakaway group led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee.
According to the complaint, the rebels have:
a) Forged and misused the party’s iconic ‘Jora Phul’ (twin flowers with grass) symbol.
b) Impersonated the name “All India Trinamool Congress”.
c) Held unauthorised meetings.
d) Circulated false documents and electronic communications while falsely projecting themselves as the legitimate representatives of the party.
These actions, the official camp alleges, amount to a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and create confusion about the party’s identity.
The complaint follows the dramatic June 22 special session convened by the rebel faction at a luxury hotel in New Town, Kolkata. At that gathering, attended by dozens of MLAs and former councillors - the group announced the formation of a parallel National Working Committee. They elected veteran Howrah Central MLA Arup Roy as chairperson of what they described as the “real” TMC, proposed Mamata Banerjee as mentor or chief adviser, and suspended Abhishek Banerjee from party positions. The rebels have since claimed the support of around 60 MLAs and 70 Kolkata councillors. They have begun organisational work, including outreach meetings with former Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillors in areas like Topsia to prepare for upcoming local body polls. Rebel MLA Sandipan Saha has publicly asserted: “We are the real Trinamool Congress. We have the numbers… We have constituted our national working committee and will soon announce our political programmes.”
Mamata Banerjee Loyalist leaders have hit back hard. Senior TMC leader and MLA Kunal Ghosh accused the dissidents of misusing the party’s name and symbol and betraying Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, warning that the people of West Bengal would reject any attempt to undermine the official leadership. MP Mahua Moitra emphasised that the popular mandate of over 2.6 crore voters in favour of Mamata Banerjee “remains intact” despite recent defections, and that the exit of some elected representatives does not diminish the party’s support base.
Why This Matters Now
This legal move comes amid a rapidly widening schism within TMC that has been building since the party’s recent electoral setback in West Bengal. What began with internal dissent over leadership style, organisational issues, and signature disputes has now evolved into an open battle over the party’s very identity and electoral symbol - a critical asset recognised by the Election Commission. By taking the dispute to the police, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has signalled it will not cede the party’s name or symbol without a fight. The rebels, meanwhile, appear determined to establish a parallel structure and stake their claim to legitimacy. The coming days are likely to see further legal and organisational skirmishes, with both sides possibly approaching the Election Commission and courts. For a party that has long prided itself on its grassroots connect and distinctive identity, the fight over who truly represents “Trinamool” has turned deeply personal and legally charged.
