The divide in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was out in the open Wednesday after a group of 60 rebel MLAs seized control of its legislature party in West Bengal, elected expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition (LoP), and secured recognition from the Assembly Speaker.

This effectively takes away the control of the TMC legislature party from party chairperson and former CM Mamata Banerjee, though the rebels, in a letter to Speaker Rathindra Bose that was signed by 58 MLAs, recognised her as their overall leader. The new LoP also sought to temper the situation by urging Mamata to serve as chief adviser to the newly constituted legislature team. The rebels made it clear that while they had no problem with Mamata’s leadership, they had nothing to do with her nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee.

“We are representing Trinamool Congress in the Assembly. We are a bloc of 60 MLAs. We request Mamata Banerjee to be our adviser and guide us. We will play the role of a constructive Opposition,” Ritabrata said.

While there was no response from the former CM, the TMC’s organisational command, stunned by the defiance of the MLAs, dissolved all party committees and frontal organisations.

“After careful consideration, it has been decided that all committees of the All India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, as well as all its frontal organisations, shall stand dissolved with immediate effect. The party will undertake a comprehensive exercise of introspection, performance review and organisational assessment at every level. Based on the findings of this exercise, the organisational structure of the parent body and all frontal organisations will be reconstituted and announced in due course. The party remains committed to strengthening its organisation and preparing it to meet future challenges with renewed vigour and purpose,” read the statement.

The new LoP, meanwhile, drew a distinction between the dissidents and the party’s organisational leadership, indicating that his group has no links to Abhishek, considered the number 2 in the party hierarchy. “Abhishek Banerjee has no connection with the legislature party,” Ritabrata said. Other rebel MLAs said they had no problem with Mamata Banerjee but would never accept Abhishek’s leadership.

The comments illustrate a widening gap between the MLAs and a section of the TMC leadership, a faultline that has deepened since the election setback last month.

While a handful of MLAs remain with Mamata — including the likes of Kunal Ghosh, Madan Mitra, and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who was chosen as the LoP but whose name the dissidents rejected — one of her oldest associates, Firhad Hakim, resigned as Kolkata mayor during the day. TMC sources said Hakim resigned after seeking the party chief’s permission and has no plans of continuing in active politics.

This crisis marks the culmination of a revolt that began with allegations of forged signatures on a letter proposing Chattopadhyay as LoP and snowballed into an open challenge to the leadership. Asked about the signature controversy and Abhishek’s alleged link to it, Ritabrata said, “We have complained to the Speaker as he is the custodian of the Assembly. He may write to the Lok Sabha Speaker. They will decide if he will remain MP or not.”

He said the party would continue to take on the BJP and would not “cede one inch of land” to the ruling party.

Echoing him, TMC’s new Chief Whip Akhruzzaman said, “We will fight against the BJP and if this government does not take steps against post-poll violence, we will not spare them in the coming Assembly session.”

Thanking Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for inviting Opposition legislators to an administrative meeting at the state secretariat, “Nabanna”, earlier in the day — rebel MLAs from Kolkata, Howrah, and North 24 Parganas were in attendance — Ritabrata said, “We will play the role of a responsible and constructive Opposition. We will fight the government eye to eye where necessary, but we will also appreciate positive steps taken by it,” he said.

Seeking to project a collective style of functioning, Ritabrata rejected suggestions of one-man leadership. “I am not a boss. I do not believe in boss-ism. I believe in ‘we’. All decisions will be taken through discussions,” he said.

The BJP, meanwhile, maintained the developments were an internal matter of the TMC. “Trinamool will break, as it should,” said minister Tapas Roy, while state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said his party would not accept leaders from the TMC.

“Trinamool-isation of the BJP will never happen. Our doors are closed to the TMC. We reached the number 208 without importing anyone. People voted against TMC leaders. Our strategy this time started from the grassroots. How can we include those who are tainted?” he said.