Overview
- The West Bengal Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday served notices to 10 MLAs aligned with the Ritabrata Banerjee group, including Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, giving them seven days to file written replies under the anti-defection law.
- Senior TMC MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay filed the disqualification petition and has taken the matter to the Supreme Court after earlier asking the Speaker to act.
- The rebel bloc says it commands about 65 of the party’s 80 MLAs, has named Akhruzzaman Ansari chief whip, and called the notices routine procedure while confirming it will respond within the deadline.
- The intra-party fight has spread to Parliament and election administration as 20 rebel Lok Sabha MPs joined the NCPI and face disqualification notices, and the Election Commission is yet to rule on competing claims to the TMC name and symbol.
- Responses to the Assembly notices, a Speaker ruling or court interventions will shape candidate lists and control of party resources ahead of the October 6 bypolls and could trigger further legal challenges.