Trinamool Crisis Deepens: Rebel MLA Claims 64 MLAs Have Joined His Faction

The ongoing political crisis within the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal politics has deepened. Rebel MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ritabrata Banerjee has claimed that the number of MLAs who have joined the party has increased to 64. He categorically said that this faction will neither join the Bharatiya Janata Party or the NDA nor merge with the Congress. Speaking to news agency ANI in Kolkata, Ritabrata Banerjee said that 64 MLAs are currently with him and all of them will submit a letter to the Assembly Speaker. He said that his faction will work with a different political identity and will fight for the interests of West Bengal. Dismissing speculations of a possible merger with the Congress, Banerjee said, "Our legislative party is not going to the Congress. More than two-thirds of our MPs in Parliament are also not joining the Congress. So the question arises as to who is merging? Our MLAs are not going, MPs are not going, Municipal representatives are not going, Zilla Parishad members are not going to Banerjee and Panchayat representatives are also not going to the Congress."