TMC Faces Internal Struggles Amid Political Turmoil in West Bengal

In the wake of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) facing a crisis after its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, senior party leader and legislator Firhad Hakim was spotted entering the office of the opposition leader, Ritabrata Banerjee, on Monday. This incident occurred shortly after Hakim resigned from his position as the Mayor of Kolkata, amidst ongoing power struggles within the TMC. Reports indicate that Hakim arrived at the assembly as usual and was seated in the lobby when rebel TMC legislator Sandipan Saha, a prominent figure in the dissenting faction, approached him and invited him to another room. Moments later, Hakim was seen entering Banerjee's office alongside Saha, who leads the faction challenging the official legislative leadership of the party. While Hakim described the meeting as a courtesy visit, it has sparked speculation about his political future and whether he is aligning himself with the rebel group.

This meeting comes at a time when the TMC is grappling with reports of internal discord and rising dissatisfaction within the party, drawing significant attention. Questions are now being raised about whether Hakim, a long-time ally of Mamata Banerjee and one of the party's key leaders, is distancing himself from the party leadership. Speculation intensified following Hakim's resignation from the Kolkata mayoralty on June 5. Adding fuel to the fire, Ritabrata Banerjee hinted that he might reach out to Hakim in the future, although he did not provide any details regarding the potential nature of such discussions.

On Monday morning, the TMC faced another setback when senior Rajya Sabha MP Sukhen Roy resigned from the party. In his resignation letter addressed to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Roy stated that the people of West Bengal have rejected the party due to "widespread corruption, severe atrocities against women, and gross failures in governance." He also highlighted the chaos prevalent in key sectors such as education, healthcare, industry, employment, and law enforcement.