In a video message on Saturday, Mamata Banerjee said the rebels had ‘betrayed’ the party that made them politically relevant. She maintained that the party’s symbol would stay with her camp, suggesting the dispute could end up in a lengthy legal battle.
Published: July 4, 2026, 11:44 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/news/india/mamata-banerjee-issues-defiant-video-message-trinamool-rebels-dares-them-join-bjp-says-you-will-have-to-kill-me-to-stop-me-ritabrata-banerjee-chandrima-bhattacharya-resignation-tmc-8465650/
Mamata Banerjee issued a video message warning TMC rebels. Image Credit: @AITCofficial/X
Mamata Banerjee has refused to back down despite the Trinamool Congress reeling from its Assembly election loss in West Bengal. As a majority of the party’s 80 MLAs aligned with Ritabrata Banerjee and Lok Sabha MPs floated another faction, fuelling a fight over who represents the “real” Trinamool Congress, she said her rivals would have to “kill” her to “stop” her.
The former Chief Minister accused the rebels of betraying the party and said the Trinamool Congress’s symbol would remain with her faction, indicating that the battle over its ownership could drag on in court. “The party symbol won’t go anywhere. If you want to stop me, you need to kill me,” she said.
In a video message, TMC supremo said, “Those who were associated with the Trinamool Congress and won elections on the party symbol bearing my signature are now claiming that the party has ceased to exist since 2023. You contested the election on the party’s symbol only after I approved your candidature and signed off on it; that is when the Election Commission accepted your nomination. There is a limit to betrayal.”
Banerjee dares rebel faction to join BJP
The former West Bengal Chief Minister further dared the party’s rebel faction to have the courage to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “You have betrayed the very party that gave you a political identity. Now, you are openly working for the BJP. If you have the courage, go and formally join the BJP. What do you think? That I am dead? We know the chances of the party symbol being allotted to you are slim. When I go among the people wearing this symbol, will you be able to silence my voice?” Banerjee remarked.
Today, our Hon’ble Chairperson Smt. @MamataOfficial addressed several important issues.
Under her guidance and leadership, All India Trinamool Congress will continue to serve people, stand by them through thick & thin, and ensure that every party worker remains dedicated to the… pic.twitter.com/yet0H9hBAx
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) July 4, 2026
She further slammed the ruling West Bengal government over not giving eggs in mid-day meals. “Children are not getting eggs in their mid-day meals, yet you are throwing eggs. We were in power for 15 years, but we never used the police to carry out such acts. You are making Inspectors-in-Charge (ICs) and Officers-in-Charge (OCs) do the work of block presidents. I do not blame those who have left. They have families, property, and responsibilities. But remember, I too have a family. The Trinamool Congress family of Maa, Mati, Manush is my family,” she added.
Also Read | Major jolt to Mamata Banerjee as TMC Bengal chief quits party, meets rebel faction
Speaking on the property issues, the TMC supremo futher added that no one can forcibly occupy Trinamool Bhavan. “Those who took over the Trinamool Bhavan yesterday claimed that the rent had not been paid. Let me make it clear that the premises had been rented until October 2027. No one is saying that I signed the agreement. This is the property of the institution, not of any individual. It belongs to Maa, Mati, Manush. No one can forcibly occupy it. We have the documents. We pay Rs 1 lakh in rent every month. Today, you may seize a building with the help of central forces, but you cannot capture people’s hearts in this way,” she added.
Mamata Banerjee receives another blow
Amid escalating internal feud in the TMC, the party’s state unit president and former Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from all party posts. Following this, Mamata Banerjee assumed the post of the state president of her TMC faction.
Also Read | Mamata Banerjee, five other TMC leaders served legal notice by MP Kakoli Ghosh’s son
Chandrima Bhattacharya termed former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks accusing her of “handing over” the Trinamool Bhavan to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction as the reason behind her resignation from the party. After resigning from Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, Chandrima Bhattacharya told ANI that she was hurt by the party supremo’s remarks.
Bhattacharya said, “You saw what happened yesterday. An incident happened at Trinamool Bhavan. After that, Mamata ji spoke to me over the phone. She told me, ‘You handed over Trinamool Bhavan to them.’ This hurt me. There was no need to say this.”
