‘They Are Criminal Trespassers’: Kalyan Banerjee Reacts to Ritabrata Banerjee Faction Seizing Kolkata TMC HQ (Watch Videos)

The power struggle within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) reached a critical flashpoint on Friday as a rebel faction led by the West Bengal Leader of the Opposition, Ritabrata Banerjee, took physical control of Trinamool Bhavan, the party's operational headquarters at the Metropolitan Building in Kolkata. The high-stakes confrontation unfolded just 24 hours after the dissident camp met with the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi to formally stake their claim to the party's name and official "twin flower" election symbol.

Accompanied by senior leaders including Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, and rebel chief whip Md Akhruzzaman, Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction entered the multi-storey rented premises off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass on Friday afternoon. The group immediately displayed their own banners outside the building and convened an organizational meeting inside, effectively asserting physical authority over the hub that has served as the TMC’s central office since May 2022. TMC Leadership Row: ECI Writes to Mamata Banerjee, Ritabrata Banerjee Over Organisational Claims and Authorised Signatories.

The move drew fierce and immediate condemnation from the party faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee, setting the stage for a protracted legal battle. Senior TMC Member of Parliament Kalyan Banerjee issued a sharp rebuke, characterizing the rebel group's actions as unlawful entry. "They are criminal trespassers," Kalyan Banerjee stated. "They started the game and we will finish it. We will go to court."

The takeover is rooted in a prolonged dispute involving the property's owner, Monotosh Saha, who had previously issued a notice for the party to vacate. While Mamata Banerjee's loyalists had already vacated two floors in June following the lease dispute, the rebel faction moved into three floors of the building on Friday, claiming they had reached an understanding with the owner to maintain the space.

While the rebels left photographs of Mamata Banerjee untouched inside the offices, they erected a prominent banner designating former minister Arup Roy as the party’s new chairperson—a position historically held by Mamata Banerjee. Akhruzzaman told reporters that the faction still considers her a part of the movement, stating she could remain as an "advisor."  WB LoP Ritabrata Banerjee-led 10 TMC Delegation to Meet ECI Today in New Delhi.

Ritabrata Faction Seizes Trinamool Bhavan

‘They Are Criminal Trespassers’

Later in the evening, Mamata Banerjee loyalists, led by Beliaghata MLA Kunal Ghosh, reached the building but chose not to break the padlocks placed on the gates by the rebels, stating that the faction would first legally and logistically evaluate the situation.

The operational takeover marks an unprecedented escalation in West Bengal politics following the recent state assembly elections, where the BJP won a commanding majority. Following the elections, a substantial majority—58 of the TMC's 80 elected MLAs—broke ranks with Mamata Banerjee, prompting the state assembly speaker to recognize the dissident bloc as the main opposition party and Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition.

With both factions now operating parallel working committees and filing competing organizational lists, legal experts expect the battle for physical and legal legitimacy to move swiftly through both the Calcutta High Court and the Election Commission.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2026 10:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).