India, June 9 -- The simmering rebellion within the TMC appeared to gather fresh momentum on Monday, with rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee portraying veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray's resignation from the party and the Upper House as a sign of widening dissent against the official leadership.

Banerjee, who now heads the breakaway faction in the West Bengal Assembly, described Ray's departure as more than an individual act of protest, calling it a "unity of will" among a section of dissatisfied leaders within the party.

Ritabrata, who was recognised as the leader of opposition in the Assembly by Speaker Rathindra Bose after securing the support of 58 of the TMC's 80 MLAs, said he expected more parliamentarians to publicly dist...