Mamata Banerjee Faces TMC Rebellion Over Kolkata Mayor Appointment

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee encountered a rare internal challenge within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after her decision to appoint a relatively unknown councillor, Suman Das, as Kolkata’s new mayor triggered dissent. Senior TMC leaders, including MP Abhishek Banerjee’s close aides, reportedly opposed the move, arguing it sidelined party veterans in favor of “loyalists.” Sources claim a heated meeting at Banerjee’s Kalighat residence failed to quell the unrest, with one MLA warning of “consequences” ahead of the 2026 state elections. The opposition BJP seized the moment, with state president Sukanta Majumdar alleging, “The TMC’s dynasty politics is crumbling.” Banerjee, however, defended her choice, calling Das “a voice for the grassroots.”