Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra on Wednesday joined the rebel camp led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, marking one of the most significant political shifts within the party since its organisational split surfaced publicly. The development comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly summoned members of Mitra's family, adding to the political significance of his move. Despite aligning with the rebel faction, Mitra asserted that he had not quit the Trinamool Congress.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Ritabrata Banerjee in the West Bengal Assembly, the veteran politician said, "I have only changed my room, not my house. I am very much in the TMC." He announced his resignation from all national and state organisational committees of the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, often referred to as the "Kalighat TMC," while retaining his position as a TMC legislator. Mitra also resigned as the party's chief whip in the West Bengal Assembly with immediate effect. Seated alongside Ritabrata Banerjee, the senior leader, dressed in his trademark white kurta and dark sunglasses, declared that he would no longer hold any organisational responsibilities under the Mamata Banerjee-led leadership.

However, he reiterated that he remained committed to serving as a Trinamool Congress MLA, signalling that his dispute was with the party's organisational structure rather than its legislative identity. The move is being viewed as the biggest boost yet for the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel camp, which has sought to position itself as an alternative power centre within the TMC. Mitra is among the party's most recognisable mass leaders and has been a close associate of Mamata Banerjee for years. His decision to join the dissident faction is expected to strengthen claims by the rebels that dissatisfaction within the party extends well beyond a handful of legislators.

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In recent months, Mitra had publicly voiced disagreements with sections of the party leadership while repeatedly insisting that he had no intention of leaving the Trinamool Congress. Those statements had fuelled speculation about his future, but Wednesday's announcement clarified his political stance. By remaining a TMC MLA while stepping away from organisational responsibilities, Mitra has attempted to strike a balance between expressing dissent and maintaining his formal association with the party. The timing of the development has drawn additional attention as it follows reported Enforcement Directorate action involving Mitra's family members.

Although Mitra did not link his political decision to the ED summons, the sequence of events has intensified political debate in West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress has not immediately issued a detailed response to Mitra's decision. Political observers believe Mitra's defection to the rebel camp could deepen the internal crisis facing the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and encourage other dissatisfied leaders to reassess their positions. Whether the move triggers further defections or remains an isolated case will likely shape the evolving political landscape within the Trinamool Congress in the coming weeks.

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