NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday renewed her attack on the rival faction led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, urging people not to forgive ‘traitors’ who had sided with the BJP amid the party’s ongoing split.Her remarks came after she participated in a Trinamool Youth Congress protest rally in Kolkata, where clashes allegedly broke out between TMC workers and BJP supporters. The march was organised after several youth wing workers were injured during the confrontation.Addressing party workers after the protest, Mamata accused the rival faction of betraying the party.“People shouldn’t forgive TMC leaders who are traitors, sided with BJP; don’t try to sail on two boats, there’s still time to look back and address barbarity,” she said.The former West Bengal chief minister also accused her political opponents of misusing the name of Lord Ram for political purposes.“Those who looted donations meant for the Ram Temple are now creating disturbances here in the name of Lord Ram,” Mamata said.The latest comments come against the backdrop of an escalating power struggle within the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. The Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction has approached the Election Commission, claiming to be the legitimate Trinamool Congress and seeking control over the party’s name and election symbol.The dispute has also spread to the party’s organisational headquarters, Trinamool Bhavan, with the Mamata Banerjee camp accusing the rival faction of illegally taking over the office and filing a police complaint alleging criminal trespass. Both factions are now engaged in a legal and political battle over the party’s organisation, assets and leadership.Earlier, Mamata on Saturday challenged leaders of the rebel faction to “directly join the BJP” and “take on me if you have the courage,” accusing the saffron party of using them to fuel dissent within the TMC ranks.“I dare the treacherous and ungrateful traitors abandoning the party to directly join the BJP and take me on if you have the courage, instead of playing this dishonest BJP-sponsored game,” she said in a video message.
