Kolkata, 03 June (H.S.) : Amid ongoing political turbulence within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), several senior party leaders attended a high-level administrative review meeting convened by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Wednesday, triggering fresh political speculation.

Among those present were senior TMC leaders Firhad Hakim, Kunal Ghosh, Nayana Bandyopadhyay and Ashok Deb, along with several other legislators. Their participation has drawn attention against the backdrop of growing factionalism and leadership disputes within the party.

The meeting, held at Nabanna, focused on an administrative review of Kolkata, Howrah and South 24 Parganas districts. While the attendance of recently expelled TMC legislators Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay and Sandipan Saha had been anticipated, the presence of leaders such as Firhad Hakim, Kunal Ghosh and Nayana Bandyopadhyay has generated considerable discussion in political circles.

The developments come just days after TMC expelled Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay, MLA from Uluberia East, and Sandipan Saha, MLA from Entally, on charges of anti-party activities. On Wednesday, the two legislators submitted a letter to the Assembly Speaker seeking recognition of Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the party in the Assembly and proposing Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition.

The letter also reportedly suggested the names of Sabina Yasmin, Javed Khan, Shiuli Saha and Sandipan Saha for deputy leader positions.

The move comes in direct contrast to Mamata Banerjee’s earlier decision to appoint Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition. A rival faction within the party has refused to accept that decision, placing the focus squarely on Assembly Speaker Rathindra Basu, whose ruling on the matter is now being closely watched. According to sources, the Speaker sought time until 4 p.m. on Wednesday before taking a decision.

Political observers believe the dispute over the opposition leadership has exposed two distinct camps within the TMC, and Wednesday’s Nabanna meeting effectively brought representatives of both factions onto the same platform.

The attendance of Firhad Hakim, Nayana Bandyopadhyay, Ashok Deb and Kunal Ghosh was particularly noteworthy, as all four had been seen alongside Mamata Banerjee at her protest programme just a day earlier.

The party’s organisational challenges have also intensified. On Wednesday, TMC announced the dissolution of all its organisational committees across West Bengal and its frontal organisations. The party said a comprehensive review of performance and organisational effectiveness would be conducted before new committees are reconstituted. The decision is being viewed as an attempt to address growing internal dissatisfaction and restructure the party machinery.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kunal Ghosh said he had raised several important issues before the Chief Minister. He urged the government to adopt a more sensitive and flexible approach toward the ongoing drive against hawkers and suggested that solutions should be worked out in consultation with local legislators.

Ghosh also claimed that TMC workers were allegedly facing harassment for political reasons following the elections and said the matter had been brought to the Chief Minister’s attention. According to him, Adhikari assured that he would discuss the issue with senior police officials and take appropriate steps to address the concerns.

The developments have added a fresh dimension to the evolving political situation in West Bengal, where organisational restructuring within the TMC and disputes over legislative leadership continue to dominate the political landscape.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh