Rebel Trinamool faction is BJP’s B-team to keep Suvendu in power: Mamata

Former West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee addresses the Martyrs' Day rally organised by her faction, in Kolkata, West Bengal, on July 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) called the arrangement of rebels a “B-team of BJP”, engineerined to keep CM Suvendu Adhikari in power. Speaking at the annual Martrys Day rally in Kolkata, Ms. Banerjee said that the defections from the Trinamool Congress have been engineered to ensure that Suvendu Adhikari remains in power. She described the rebel TMC MPs as “BJP signboard”.At least 65 of the 80 MLAs of Trinamool Congress have sided with the rebel camp of Trinamool Congress led by Ritabrata Banerjee. The BJP has support of 208 of the 294 MLAs in the State Assembly The Ritabrata Banerjee camp of TMC organised a gathering at city’s Mayo Road to mark Martys’ Day and hit back at Ms. Banerjee. They claimed that she favoured Abhishek Banerjee over others during her tenure. Ms. Banerjee countered it by saying the leaaders who betrayed her have left, but the common people and workers have not left her side, and that she will rebuild the party through the workers. “Those who chose to leave because of pressure from the ED, CBI, or CID have made their own decisions. I have no bitterness towards them, but I believe our movement must continue with people who remain committed despite adversity. Politics is sustained by conviction and public trust, not by fear or personal convenience,” Ms. Banerjee said from the stage as the crowd cheered on. She also added that one day all the masks will come off and that she will never reconcile with the “traitors” who have betrayed her after the elections. In the past few days, many close confidants of Ms. Banerjee, including Madan Mitra and Firhad Hakim, leave to join the rebel faction and have been publicly vocal with their praises of Mr. Adhikari. The Martyrs’ Day rally was Ms. Banerjee crown jewel during her tenure as Chief Minister, with an annual political muscle flexing through the event as thousands flocked around her. However, this year, the crowd was divided between Ms. Banerjee and the rebel Trinamool’s meetings, but the rebels failed to gather much traction even as the Trinamool chairperson’s rally gathered thousands. At the Mayo Road rally, the rebel leaders questioned Ms. Banerjee on her lack of transparency over the Martyrs’ Day enquiry commission report. They asked why she failed to take action against the alleged perpetrators and even favoured some. Mr Ritabrata Banerjee also accused that the martyrs and their families themselves were sidelined at the Martyrs’ Day event when Mamata Banerjee led the annual meeting. He also accused that the martyrs’ sacrifice has been milked by the former CM for the party’s gains. Mr. Mitra claimed that without her actions, the Trinamool would not have turned into its current state. “Mamata Banerjee, we tell you, come to our side, we promise you no one will attack you, but you have to say it out loud that you committed a mistake and became political blind in the love for your family,” Mr. Mitra added. Launching further attacks on the rebel Trinamool faction, general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that the rebel factions Martyrs’ Day failed to gather support because the roots of the party still lie with Mamata Banerjee. “There are more people present when a JCB digs up soil in a village than there are. Is that what they call the “real Trinamool”? Where are their workers?” Mr. Abhishek Banerjee said. Published - July 22, 2026 01:09 pm IST