Two letters to two speakers and voilà – the formalities of a split have been completed. The Trinamool Congress is split three ways, like a grand old circus, except each of the three rings is independent of the other. Or is it?
One ring has an obvious ring master – Mamata Banerjee – the founder and owner of the brand Trinamool Congress. However, neither she nor the party is sure of who is a part of her circus. The second ring has a Leader of the Opposition – Ritabrata Banerjee – a first-time member of the legislative assembly and a 2017 inductee, who has been duly recognised by the West Bengal state assembly speaker Rathindra Basu on June 5.
The third and final ring is a new bloc of the Trinamool Congress, which has a chief whip in the Lok Sabha – Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar – a long time associate of the former chief minister. Her role
was approved by Speaker Om Birla on June 8.
The two speakers appear to have decided that all they have to do is recognise the block that sends a letter staking claim to the positions of LoP and chief whip, backed by an unverified two thirds of the total members of the legislatures from the TMC. The Lok Sabha block led by Ghosh Dastidar has unequivocally declared its loyalties to the National Democratic Alliance. The West Bengal state assembly block has not done so.
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