Kolkata, 08 June (H.S.) :

Political speculation intensified in West Bengal on Monday after Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim was seen visiting the chamber of Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee inside the state Assembly, amid an already turbulent phase for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Delhi.

According to sources, Hakim was accompanied by suspended TMC MLA Sandeepan Sahaa during the visit, which took place at Ritabrata Banerjee’s office. The meeting has triggered widespread political chatter about possible realignments within the state’s political landscape.

Hakim’s presence inside the Assembly and his interaction with opposition legislators have fuelled questions within political circles, particularly at a time when several developments are unfolding simultaneously at the national level involving the TMC.

Earlier in the day, political uncertainty escalated in Delhi as senior TMC leader and Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy resigned from the party and the Upper House. Reports also emerged claiming that a group of Lok Sabha MPs submitted a letter to Speaker Om Birla expressing alignment with the NDA bloc, though official confirmation from all stakeholders remains unclear.

At the same time, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was attending a meeting of the INDIA bloc in the national capital, further underlining the contrasting political narratives playing out within the party’s broader ecosystem.

In Kolkata, Hakim arrived at the Assembly in a black vehicle with tinted windows and did not respond to media queries. His recent resignation from the post of Kolkata Mayor has already fuelled speculation about internal shifts within the party hierarchy.

The latest developments have added to the growing uncertainty surrounding factional dynamics within the TMC, though no official statement has been issued by the party regarding any internal split or political reorientation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh