Kolkata, Jul 5: With the exception of a handful of leaders, almost all heavyweight ministers from Mamata Banerjee's 2011–2026 cabinets have deserted her and joined the "rebel majority" faction of the Trinamool Congress led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. The latest to switch sides is former West Bengal Finance Minister (Independent Charge) and former state Trinamool Congress president Chandrima Bhattacharya.

On Saturday afternoon, Bhattacharya, who was defeated in the recently concluded Assembly polls, resigned from all party posts and soon after held a meeting with the Ritabrata-led rebel camp.

She stated that since Mamata Banerjee had questioned her loyalty after the rebel camp took over the Trinamool Congress’ main party office in the capital city, she felt it would not be wise for her to continue with the former Chief Minister.

After resigning, she also accused Mamata Banerjee of not allowing her to operate independently as the erstwhile Minister of State for Finance (independent) charge.

With Bhattacharya, almost the entire previous cabinet led by Mamata Banerjee is now in the rebel majority camp, with other former heavyweight ministers in the same list being Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Javed Ahmed Khan, Jyotipriya Mallick, Siuli Saha, and Arup Roy.

Of these former heavyweight ministers, Hakim, Khan, Saha and Roy are still elected legislators. Apart from that, Roy, a four-time elected party legislator from Howrah (Central) Assembly constituency in Kolkata-adjacent Howrah district, was appointed as the chairman of the newly formed National Working Committee (NWC) of Trinamool Congress by the “rebel majority” faction last month.

Two of the former heavyweight ministers in Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet, who have not officially joined the rebel majority faction as yet, are former Education Minister Bratya Basu and Women & Child Development and Commerce & Industries Minister Dr Sashi Panja.

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However, both Basu and Panja, who faced defeat in the Assembly polls, have maintained silence so far. Neither has the duo made any statement about continuing their allegiance to the minority faction led by Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, nor have they announced any decision to join the rebel majority camp led by Ritabrata.

Another former heavyweight minister, Soumen Mahapatra, has also been totally silent on the matter so far.

The only former heavyweight minister and still a legislator who is vocal about his continued allegiance to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee is the maverick party legislator, Madan Mitra, whom Mamata Banerjee once described as the “most colourful person” in her party.

After Chandrima Bhattacharya's departure on Saturday afternoon, Mamata Banerjee has not appointed anyone else as the party's state president.

(IANS)