Rebel Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee will continue as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly for the time being, after the Calcutta High Court declined to interfere with his appointment. The court has, however, made it clear that his position will remain provisional for two months, giving the legal battle over the post a temporary pause.
The dispute began after West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose appointed Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition on June 3. The decision came despite the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress proposing veteran MLA SobhandebChattopadhyay for the post.
Chattopadhyay challenged the Speaker’s decision before the Calcutta High Court, arguing that the Speaker should have accepted the name proposed by the political party. The petition turned into a larger constitutional and political dispute over the powers of the Assembly Speaker and the procedure for recognising the Leader of the Opposition.
The controversy intensified after Ritabrata and his supporters claimed that they had the backing of a majority of TMC MLAs in the Assembly. The breakaway group had initially claimed the support of 58 out of the party’s 80 legislators.
The TMC had also expelled Ritabrata and fellow MLA SandipanSaha, citing anti-party activities. The expulsion took place amid allegations surrounding signatures on a letter submitted to the Speaker in support of SobhandebChattopadhyay’s candidature. The matter subsequently became the subject of a police investigation.
The High Court had earlier refused to grant an interim stay on the Speaker’s decision. The court had observed that immediate interference could affect the functioning of the Assembly and had directed the parties to place their arguments and affidavits before the court.
In the latest development, the division bench has chosen not to remove Ritabrata from the post at this stage. Instead, his appointment will continue for two months, or until the single bench disposes of the pending appeal, whichever comes earlier. The arrangement is intended to prevent disruption in the functioning of the state legislature while the legal questions remain unresolved.
The ruling is significant for both sides of the political dispute. For Ritabrata and the rebel TMC camp, it provides temporary relief and allows him to continue functioning as LoP. For the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, however, the order means that its challenge to the Speaker’s decision has not resulted in Ritabrata’s immediate removal.
The case also highlights an unusual political situation inside the West Bengal Assembly, where rival factions of the same political party are contesting control over the opposition leadership. The final decision could have wider implications for how the Speaker’s authority and the political party’s role in choosing the Leader of the Opposition are interpreted.
For now, Ritabrata remains in the LoP’s chair, but his long-term position is still dependent on the outcome of the pending legal proceedings. The two-month window gives the court time to examine the dispute while allowing the Assembly to continue functioning without an immediate leadership vacuum.
