'Mamata welcome as chief advisor': Rebel TMC faction elects Arup Roy chairperson, names new office-bearers

A significant organizational step has been taken by the Trinamool Congress' rebel faction, led by Opposition Leader Ritabrata Banerjee. At a special session in Kolkata, the group elected senior MLA Arup Roy as chairperson and unveiled a new slate of office-bearers, signaling a clear challenge to the party's established leadership.

Banerjee announced that former minister Aroop Biswas and MLAs Firhad Hakim, Rathin Ghosh, and Sabina Yasmin have been appointed as vice-chairpersons. He stated that the proceedings of the special session would be formally communicated to the Election Commission. "It's not about being real or not, we are TMC and will inform the EC about today's special session proceedings," Banerjee said, according to PTI.

The rebel faction also extended an invitation to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, suggesting she could serve as the chief advisor to their new leadership structure if she wished to join. This move comes amid internal turmoil within the TMC following the party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

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It's not about being real or not, we are TMC and will inform the EC about today's special session proceedings.

Organizers described the meeting, held at a five-star hotel, as a special session convened to address what they termed a "constitutional crisis." According to Banerjee, the party's constitution mandates the formation of a national working committee every three years, and the last committee was formed in February 2022. The rebels argue that the organizational structure was not renewed after its tenure expired.

The newly formed committee unanimously elected Roy, the MLA from Howrah Central, as chairperson. Along with the vice-chairpersons, Ritabrata Banerjee, Javed Khan, and Sandipan Saha were named general secretaries, and Akhruzzaman Ansari was appointed treasurer. Notably absent from the stage during the proceedings were portraits of party founder Mamata Banerjee and senior leader Abhishek Banerjee, who have traditionally been the dominant faces of the party.

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she is most welcome