Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jul 4: The political crisis within the All India Trinamool Congress intensified on Saturday after its newly appointed West Bengal president, Chandrima Bhattacharya, resigned from the post, saying she stepped down after her integrity was questioned by party chairperson Mamata Banerjee over the takeover of the party headquarters by rebel legislators.

Addressing the media, Bhattacharya said her resignation followed Friday night's incident in which a rebel group of MLAs led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee took control of the Trinamool Congress headquarters at Metropolitan, near the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in Kolkata.

According to Bhattacharya, Mamata Banerjee later questioned how the party office had come under the control of the rebel faction. She said the remark deeply hurt her and made her feel that her loyalty to the party was being doubted.

Stating that she could not continue in the top organisational post after her integrity had been questioned, Bhattacharya said she had always remained loyal to the party despite occasional differences with colleagues. She also indicated that she would not return to Kalighat, the political headquarters of Mamata Banerjee, following her decision.

Bhattacharya, who previously served as West Bengal's Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge), submitted her resignation through a letter addressed to Mamata Banerjee. Besides resigning as the party's state president, she also stepped down from all organisational responsibilities and relinquished her authority as an authorised signatory for the bank accounts of the All India Trinamool Congress and its affiliated organisations.

In her resignation letter, Bhattacharya also informed the party leadership that she was withdrawing as the authorised representative of the Trinamool Congress before the Election Commission of India.

Despite her resignation, she concluded the letter by expressing respect for Mamata Banerjee, stating that she continued to hold the party chief in the highest regard.

The development comes just days after Bhattacharya's son, Saurav Bhattacharya, a former councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, joined the "rebel but majority" faction of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party in the West Bengal Assembly led by Ritabrata Banerjee.

His decision had triggered speculation that Chandrima Bhattacharya might also part ways with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction. However, she has not yet indicated whether she intends to join the rebel camp, switch to another political party, or temporarily withdraw from active politics.