Kolkata:
In yet another setback for Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, senior leader Madan Mitra quit the party and joined the rebel camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Mitra, who represents the Kamarhati seat in the West Bengal assembly, said the Trinamool has become a “fragmented” party.
“I have only changed my room, not my house. I am very much in the TMC,” he told reporters after joining the rebel camp.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Madan Mitra resigns from Trinamool Congress (Mamata Banerjee) and joins rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/36hEkDuYhN
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2026
His resignation comes two weeks after Mamata Banerjee made him the general secretary following the party’s assembly election debacle in May. The shock exit also comes days after Chandrima Bhattacharya, Trinamool’s Bengal president, stepped down from her position.
Madan Mitra’s Political Journey
Madan Mitra was among Trinamool’s 80 leaders who won the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections. He retained the Kamarhati seat in an election that was swept by the BJP, which came to power in the state for the first time after winning 208 of 294 seats.
Photo Credit: PTI
Known for his colourful lifestyle and considered one of the most popular faces in West Bengal politics, he has been associated with the TMC since its inception in 1998.
Setback After Setback For Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee, who had served as chief minister for three straight terms since 2011, has been facing setbacks since her party lost the 2026 Assembly elections. Banerjee had also lost her seat to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, who is now the chief minister.
Ritabrata Banerjee then led a split and claims to have the support of 58 Trinamool MLAs. At a special session last month, they removed Mamata Banerjee as party chairperson and elected Arup Roy to the post.
Ritabrata Banerjee has also been made the leader of the opposition in the assembly.
The rebels have also approached the Election Commission seeking recognition as the “real” TMC.
20 of the party’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs have also broken away and extended support to the BJP-led NDA after merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
