Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday expelled two of its sitting MLAs, Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee, over their alleged involvement in anti-party activities. The party announced the decision through separate expulsion notices issued to both leaders. TMC said the two MLAs repeatedly skipped party meetings and engaged in activities that were against the interests of the party, leading to their immediate expulsion.

In notices issued to both leaders, the Trinamool Congress accused them of repeatedly failing to attend meetings convened by the party leadership and of engaging in anti-party activities.

In the expulsion notices, TMC Vice President Chandrima Bhattacharya said, “It has been brought to the notice of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Party through its competent authority that, despite having been elected as a candidate nominated by the AITC, you have repeatedly failed to attend meetings convened by the authorized leadership of the Party and have made yourself involved in anti-party activities.”

Immediate effect of expulsion

The notices stated that both Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee would immediately lose any position, responsibility, or privilege associated with the party. 

Why TMC expelled the two MLAs

The party alleged that both MLAs engaged in activities and made statements that were prejudicial to the interests of the Trinamool Congress. Following a review of the matter, the party leadership decided to expel them from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect.

“It has also been observed that you have engaged in activities and made statements that are prejudicial to the interests of AITC. After due consideration of the matter, the competent authority of AITC has decided to expel you from the (primary) membership of the Party with immediate effect. Consequently, you shall cease to hold any position, responsibility, or privilege associated with the Party from the date of issuance of this notice. This notice shall come into force with immediate effect,” Bhattacharya said.

The expulsion of Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha comes amid an ongoing controversy within the party. Both MLAs had reportedly approached the Assembly Speaker, claiming that they had not signed the proposal letter that recommended the name of the Leader of the Opposition.

Leader of Opposition letter controversy

The controversy deepened after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the proposal letter for the Leader of the Opposition contained signatures that were not genuine. He claimed that the handwriting and signatures attributed to the two MLAs did not belong to them.

Adhikari further alleged that three other TMC MLAs had also stated that the signatures shown against their names on the resolution proposing Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition were not theirs.

CID probe into fake signature allegations

The West Bengal CID has launched an investigation into the alleged fake signature case. As part of the probe, the agency served a notice to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.