Mamata Banerjee
NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday appeared headed for a major internal crisis as MLAs entering the state assembly did not dismiss the rumours that over 50 legislators had thrown their weight behind an MLA, who may lead the new faction of the Mamata Banerjee-founded party.On nomination of West Bengal Assembly LoP, TMC MLA Mustafizur Rahman told news agency ANI: “We don’t know the exact figure… I am hearing from outside that 59 signatures have been recieved. I am hearing this. I have also signed”.”I am going inside (Assembly), after the meeting I will tell,” said TMC MLA Priya Paul.The crisis in the TMC came to the fore after a complaint was lodged at assembly secretariat by two TMC MLAs Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee.After the complaint, the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) summoned Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew and the party’s No. 2, for questioning. It has already recorded statements of several MLAs as part of its probe into the forgery allegations.What began as a dispute over signatures has now exposed the deep divisions within the party at a time when it is still coming to terms with its worst electoral setback in over a decade. The signature row exploded into the open after Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari during a press conference claimed that two TMC legislators had filed complaints in connection with their “fake” signatures on a party resolution submitted in the state assembly endorsing Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of opposition.
