Who Are The Six TMC Leaders Expelled After Ritabrata Banerjee's Meeting?

Can this be called a "diminishing" moment for the age-old political party that ruled West Bengal for 15 years and is now witnessing an apparent breakdown?

This comes after the BJP defeated the TMC in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections for the first time, followed by several TMC ministers joining the BJP.

However, that was not the end of the party's troubles. The TMC has now expelled six of its legislators for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities.

The action came a day after the leaders attended a meeting organised by a rebel faction led by former TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee. The development is being seen as one of the biggest signs of internal unrest within the party in recent years.

Who Are The 6 Expelled Leaders?

According to party sources, the six legislators expelled by the TMC are:

• Firhad Hakim
• Arup Roy
• Javed Khan
• Rathin Ghosh
• Biplab Mitra
• Sabina Yasmin

The disciplinary action came shortly after the leaders attended a closed-door meeting called by Ritabrata Banerjee, who was himself expelled from the party earlier.

Before the expulsions, several leaders had reportedly received show-cause notices seeking an explanation for their participation in the gathering.

What Happened At The Rebel Meeting?

The controversial meeting was held at a hotel in Kolkata and was attended by members associated with the dissident faction.

During the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee reportedly challenged the authority of the current TMC leadership and claimed that his group represented the "real" Trinamool Congress.
The rebel camp also announced senior MLA Arup Roy as its chairperson and indicated plans to approach the Election Commission with its claim.

The developments have raised concerns about a possible split within the party.

Who Is Ritabrata Banerjee?

Ritabrata Banerjee was expelled from the TMC earlier after he allegedly challenged decisions taken by the party leadership.

Along with Sandipan Saha, he faced disciplinary action over what the party described as anti-party activities linked to disagreements within the legislative party.

Since then, Banerjee has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the party's leadership and has been attempting to rally support among dissatisfied legislators.

Why The Expulsions Matter

The leaders who have been expelled are not minor figures within the party.
Firhad Hakim is one of the most recognisable faces of the TMC and has served in several important positions, including as the Mayor of Kolkata.

Similarly, Arup Roy, Javed Khan, Sabina Yasmin, Rathin Ghosh and Biplab Mitra have all played significant roles in the party's organisation and electoral campaigns over the years.
Their removal signals that the party leadership is taking a tough stance against dissent within its ranks.

Internal Crisis After Electoral Setback

Political observers believe the latest controversy is linked to the internal tensions that have surfaced following the party's recent electoral setback in West Bengal.

Differences over leadership decisions, organisational changes and the future direction of the party have reportedly created divisions among some leaders.

The rebel faction claims that a sizeable section of legislators is unhappy with the current leadership structure, although the party has rejected such claims.
The expulsion of six sitting MLAs is expected to further deepen the political battle within the TMC.

Attention will now turn to whether the rebel camp attempts to formally challenge the party's leadership before the Election Commission or tries to attract more legislators to its side. At the same time, the official TMC leadership is likely to continue enforcing party discipline to prevent further defections.