Ousted Treasurer Requests HDFC Freeze on Trinamool Account; Party Questions His Authority

A fresh controversy has erupted within the Trinamool Congress after senior leader Aroop Biswas wrote to an HDFC Bank branch in Kolkata seeking a freeze on the party's bank account, citing an internal leadership dispute and concerns over the possible misuse of organisational funds amid an ongoing rebellion within the party.

In his letter, Biswas identified himself as the party treasurer and requested the bank to maintain status quo on the account by stopping all debit transactions and operational changes. He claimed that a substantial number of elected representatives, including 20 of the party's 28 Members of Parliament and 58 of its 60 Members of the Legislative Assembly, had either left the organisation or openly revolted, creating uncertainty over the authority and management of party assets.

Biswas stated that he had a "strong and bona fide apprehension" that cheques already signed or held by individuals whose authority was under dispute could be misused. To safeguard the party's finances, he urged the bank to refrain from processing transactions until the internal issues were resolved, arguing that such a step was necessary to protect organisational funds.

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However, Trinamool sources rejected Biswas' request, asserting that he had already been removed as party treasurer on June 5 and replaced by Subhashish Chakravarty. According to the party, the letter to the bank was sent seven days after his removal, raising questions over the validity of his claim to the post and his authority to issue such instructions.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented political crisis for the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the April-May West Bengal Assembly elections. After ruling the state for 15 years, the party suffered a major setback, winning only 80 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party crossed the 200-seat mark in the 294-member Assembly.

The electoral loss has triggered widespread dissent within the party, with several MPs and MLAs openly criticising the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and the concentration of power around National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. A group of 20 rebel MPs has reportedly merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and is preparing to align with the BJP, while a larger section of Trinamool MLAs has also signalled its dissatisfaction, deepening the party's internal turmoil.

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