NEW DELHI: As the Trinamool Congress grapples with its deepest internal crisis in nearly three decades, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that his faction now has the support of 64 MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly.Speaking outside the assembly, Ritabrata dismissed reports of any move towards a Congress alliance or merger.“We are the real Trinamool Congress. We are not merging with the Congress,” he said.The rebel leader claimed that support for his camp had risen from 58 to 64 MLAs and could grow further. “The number of MLAs with us has already crossed 64. It may become 65 tomorrow when another MLA joins us. Naturally, we are the real Trinamool Congress. Who meets whom in Delhi is their matter and is immaterial for us,” he said.Ritabrata said the dissident bloc would soon submit fresh documentation to the Speaker reflecting its increased strength. He also claimed the faction enjoyed backing from several MPs, district leaders and local body representatives.Rejecting suggestions that the party could merge with the Congress, Ritabrata said, “Most legislators are not merging with the Congress. Most MPs are not merging with the Congress. Many district leaders and local body representatives are also not merging with the Congress. Then where is the question of a merger?”The latest claim marks another setback for Mamata Banerjee’s camp after a group of 20 rebel TMC MPs informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of the formation of a separate parliamentary bloc led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar while extending support to the BJP-led NDA. The crisis first erupted in the Assembly when 58 MLAs backed Ritabrata as leader of the opposition instead of the party’s official nominee, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay. The rebellion has since spread to Parliament, with senior leaders resigning from the party and raising questions over who now holds the numerical and organisational strength within the TMC.Asked what would happen if Mamata Banerjee eventually merged her faction with the Congress, Ritabrata declined to speculate, saying: “Tomorrow will answer tomorrow’s questions. As of today, the number is 64 and counting.”
