Party Unity Under Strain: Two MLAs Ousted Over Signature Dispute

In a major political development in West Bengal, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday expelled two of its Members of the Legislative Assembly — Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha — from the party’s primary membership, citing “anti‑party activities” that allegedly harmed the organisation’s interests.

The disciplinary action came shortly after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari publicly revealed that the two legislators had filed complaints alleging forged signatures on a letter submitted to the West Bengal Assembly Secretariat. That letter, which endorsed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition, has become the centre of controversy as several MLAs told investigators their signatures did not belong on the document.

An official communication signed by TMC vice‑president Chandrima Bhattacharya accused both MLAs of repeatedly failing to attend party meetings and making statements prejudicial to the party’s interests — behaviour described as damaging to party unity and discipline.

The expulsions occurred amid an ongoing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the alleged signature forgery. Some party legislators are reported to have told investigators that their signatures were not authentic, intensifying internal political strain.

Both Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha had recently been absent from a key TMC strategy meeting, fuelling speculation about growing rifts within the party after its defeat in the recent state assembly elections.

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