58 MLAs Split from Trinamool Congress over Abhishek Banerjee

The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered its first formal split in nearly three decades in June 2026, following a crushing electoral defeat in West Bengal. A rebel faction of 58 to 60 of the party's 80 MLAs seized control of the legislature wing, successfully installing expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. Speaker Rathindra Bose recognized the dissident bloc after they met the two-thirds threshold required by anti-defection laws. The revolt, termed 'Operation Crown Prince,' was driven by resentment toward the perceived nepotism and high-handedness of National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and the influence of the consultancy firm I-PAC.

While the rebels maintain allegiance to party supremo Mamata Banerjee, requesting her as a chief advisor, they explicitly reject Abhishek Banerjee's authority. The crisis was precipitated by allegations of forged signatures on a party resolution nominating Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the opposition leader, triggering a CID probe. In response, Mamata Banerjee dissolved all state party committees and frontal organizations for a comprehensive review. She later executed a sweeping organizational reshuffle, appointing Chandrima Bhattacharya as state president and appointing two national joint secretaries to dilute Abhishek Banerjee's singular influence.

Instability has since spread to the party's parliamentary wing, with reports that up to 20 MPs may defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party or launch a no-confidence motion against Abhishek Banerjee. Despite outreach efforts and a high-level meeting at her Kalighat residence attended by only a small fraction of party legislators, the TMC continues to face potential fragmentation as the BJP allegedly attempts to recruit dissident members.