Kolkata, July 3 -- The internal conflict in the Trinamool Congress escalated Friday after heavy CRPF and Kolkata Police deployment outside the party's Metropolitan state office.

The lockdown followed claims that a rebel group led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee had taken control of the headquarters. The move came a day after the dissident bloc petitioned the Election Commission in New Delhi, claiming the 28-year-old party's name, funds, and twin-flower symbol.

Accompanied by Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, and Akhruzzaman, Banerjee entered the EM Bypass office, the party's nerve center since 2022 , to assert control. The rebels replaced signage and put up a banner naming senior MLA Arup Roy as the new chairman, in place of Mama...