Kolkata, June 29 -- An apparent lapse of coordination within the rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) camp came under the spotlight in the Assembly on Monday during voting on the state's OBC reservation amendment Bill, fuelling fresh speculation over whether the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction is beginning to show signs of internal strain.

The first indication came moments before the House proceeded to vote. While several MLAs owing allegiance to Ritabrata walked out in protest, others from the same camp stayed back, presenting contrasting political optics from a faction expected to act in unison.

The Assembly procedure added another twist. Once the voting process began, the doors of the House were shut, preventing some rebel legislators, including Sandeepan Saha and Shiuli Saha, from leaving. The doors were reopened following the intervention of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. Yet, even after they were opened, several MLAs from the Ritabrata camp chose to remain inside the House alongside legislators aligned with Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

Those who stayed back included Itahar MLA Mosaraf Hussen, Baharul Islam, Kajal Sheikh, Byron Biswas, Pannalal Halder and Murarai MLA Mosarraf Hossain. Their decision immediately drew political attention, with Kunal Ghosh, an MLA aligned with the Mamata camp, remarking that the rebel legislators had done the right thing by not joining the walkout.

Following a demand by Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Nawsad Siddiqui for a recorded vote, Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose ordered a division of votes on the West Bengal Backward Classes (other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The Bill was passed with 186 members voting in favour and 17 against.

Although the Bill sailed through comfortably, it was the contrasting conduct within the Ritabrata camp that emerged as the bigger political talking point, reviving speculation over whether differences within the rebel faction are beginning to surface more openly.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.