TMC split: Mamata and rebel camps clash over rally venue

Amid the ongoing dogfight within the Trinamool Congress — between the faction led by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and present Opposition Leader Ritabrata Banerjee — for the party’s bank deposits, symbol and office a new dispute has erupted over the venue of Trinamool Congress Martyrs” Day rally that has been organised for the past 15 years in front of the CESC House at the Esplanade Crossing one of the busiest junctions in the country.

Interestingly, the Mamata Banerjee faction is not interested in holding the July 21 Trinamool Congress Martyrs’ Day rally at the Brigade Parade Ground as has been offered by the Kolkata Police, sources in her faction said.

Following a writ petition, a single-judge bench of Justice Sougato Bhattacharya of the Calcutta High Court had earlier admitted a petition from the Mamata Banerjee faction challenging the two-month prohibitory order around CESC House near the busy Esplanade Crossing. The petition would be heard on July 15.

While the breakaway faction led by MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, which too had been asking permission for the CESC House venue, has reportedly been given to hold its version of the Martyrs’ Day rally in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in near Jawahar Lal Nehru Road little less than 800 metres from CESC House, the Mamata faction is still insisting on CESC House or as an alternative the Dorrina Crossing.

A senior police officer, referring to the dispute, said that it would be impossible to grant the Mamata faction a place at Dorrina Crossing as the venue would be “precariously close to the one given to the other group,” leaving a good chance of clashes.

“The Police are giving us Brigade Parade Ground which besides being too large for getting it filled within a span of two weeks is also muddy during the monsoons… they are doing it intentionally to disturb us… but we will go ahead with programme even if that means holding a rally from a pick up van,” said TMC MP Dola Sen hoping “the High Court will appreciate our problem and issue appropriate directions.”