KOLKATA, June 22: In a bid to wrest control of the TMC, its rebel faction led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee on Monday elected MLA Arup Roy as chairperson, marking the sharpest challenge yet to the authority of party founder Mamata Banerjee.
The move signals a rebellion that began in the assembly and later spilt into Parliament has now reached the party’s organisational citadel.
Addressing a special session here attended by rebel MLAs, councillors and other leaders, Banerjee said Roy was unanimously elected chairperson of the party.
Former minister Aroop Biswas and MLAs Firhad Hakim, Rathin Ghosh and Sabina Yasmin were appointed vice-chairpersons, while Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan and Sandipan Saha were named general secretaries.Raghunathganj MLA Akhruzzaman Ansari was appointed treasurer.
“The special session of TMC leaders and members unanimously elected Arup Roy as party chairperson,” Banerjee told reporters after the meeting.
Seeking to bolster the legitimacy of the exercise, the rebel leader asserted the proceedings had been conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution and that details of the session would be communicated to the EC.
“It is not about what is real or not real. We are TMC and will inform the Election Commission about today’s special session proceedings,” he said.“We have functioned and convened this special session as per the norms. It is for the EC to decide what is wrong or right,” Banerjee said.He said the newly constituted leadership would soon move to establish the party’s organisational structure at various levels.Banerjee, however, struck a conciliatory note towards Mamata Banerjee, saying she can become the rebel faction’s chief adviser if she wished. (PTI)
