The Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a decisive defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, allowing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Within a month, the TMC stands on the brink of collapse. Around 58 of its MLAs defied Mamata Banerjee’s choice of Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition and elected expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee instead. The Assembly speaker has recognised the rebel group as a separate legislative party. Veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy resigned from the party and his seat, raising fears that the parliamentary wing may follow. This is not mere dissent but a structural rupture that exposes deep internal fault lines while revealing a more sophisticated political strategy.

Discontent Within TMC Leadership

At its heart lies discontent with the corporatised functioning under national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Rebels accuse the leadership of erecting bureaucratic filters around Mamata Banerjee, making access difficult for MLAs and workers. Over-reliance on external agencies sidelined old guards and grassroots leaders, breeding resentment. This organisational alienation combined with widespread allegations of corruption at the local level, including irregularities in recruitments and permissions, eroded support among both elected representatives and the public.

BJP’s Subtle Role In Fragmentation

Yet, the crisis cannot be understood without examining the BJP’s calibrated........

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