NEW DELHI: The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the TMC on Monday filed a detailed response before the Election Commission of India (ECI), rejecting rival leader Ritabrata Banerjee’s claim over the party. It also asserted that the TMC’s organisational committees remained valid until 2027 as per the constitution of the party.
Addressing reporters after submitting the reply to the ECI, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said the submission comprehensively rebutted the representation made by the rebel faction, particularly its claim that the tenure of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) committee and the National Working Committee had expired in 2025.
Banerjee said the party constitution had been amended over the years to extend the tenure of organisational committees from three years to four years in 2000 and subsequently to five years in 2006, with both amendments duly communicated to the Election Commission.
“The last organisational election was held in 2022. Accordingly, the tenure of the AITC committee and the National Working Committee is five years and will continue until 2027,” the MP said. The rebel faction’s contention that the committees ceased to exist in 2025 was “factually incorrect and contrary to the party constitution,” he added.
Questioning the consistency of the dissidents’ stand, Banerjee said the rebel leaders had contested the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections on the TMC symbol after receiving candidature papers signed by party chairperson Mamata Banerjee.
“If they maintain that the party organisation ceased to exist after 2025, then on what authority did they contest the Assembly elections on the party symbol? By their own argument, their election would become illegal. They should resign immediately,” Banerjee said.
The TMC leader also challenged the validity of the rebel faction’s June 22 “special session”, during which it claimed to have reconstituted the party organisation. He alleged that the exercise violated the provisions of the AITC constitution and lacked procedural legitimacy.
According to Banerjee, the party constitution prescribes a structured organisational process beginning with elections at the block level, followed by the formation of district and State committees, before the AITC committee can be constituted. He alleged that the dissident group bypassed these mandatory steps and failed to issue the required public notices or inform party MPs and MLAs before convening the meeting.
The Election Commission is examining claims and counter claims made by the rival groups over the party following the split between the Mamata Banerjee-led leadership and the rebel faction.