- Madan Mitra resigned from TMC, joined rebel faction.
- His departure further weakens Mamata Banerjee’s faction and party.
- Mitra criticised Abhishek Banerjee for refusing to step aside.
- Mitra remains MLA but resigned all Trinamool Congress positions.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has suffered another political setback as senior Trinamool Congress leader and former minister Madan Mitra resigned from the party and joined the rebel Trinamool Congress faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
The veteran leader’s exit further weakens Mamata Banerjee’s camp at a time when the party continues to grapple with internal divisions following its electoral setbacks in West Bengal. Although Mitra has stepped down from all party positions, he said he will continue to remain an MLA for now.
Madan Mitra Switches To Rebel TMC Camp
Announcing his decision on Wednesday, Mitra confirmed that he had severed ties with the Trinamool Congress headed by Mamata Banerjee and aligned himself with the breakaway faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
His departure comes amid a series of defections that have reshaped the party’s organisational structure in recent weeks, with several leaders choosing to back the rebel camp.
Mitra said he had resigned from all positions associated with the Trinamool Congress, signalling a complete organisational break from the party leadership.
Sharp Criticism of Abhishek Banerjee
While explaining the reasons behind his decision, Mitra claimed he had advised Abhishek Banerjee to temporarily step away from the party leadership to allow time for rebuilding the organisation.
He said, “… I had suggested to Abhishek Banerjee that he step aside for six months or a year. I told him, let us build the party, and then you can come back and take your seat but he refused. He said, I won’t leave the party. The party is sinking; the boat has gone under. People are dying.”
Continuing his criticism, Mitra added, “Yet, the party decided or rather it was forced to accept that everyone else could die, but Abhishek had to be saved. It is deeply saddening. The party belongs to everyone, yet it seems to have been reduced to serving only Abhishek. I earnestly request Mamata ji to come let us view this as a marathon. We will surely cross paths along the way. Let us see which horse surges ahead. I have resigned from all the positions. Though I remain an MLA. I have left everything associated with Trinamool. That means I am no longer a Trinamool MLA in the functional sense.”
