Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: A battle for supremacy has intensified between the 'Ritabrata' and 'Kalighat' factions of the Trinamool Congress regarding the formation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the West Bengal Assembly.
Battle for Supremacy in Bengal Assembly: 'Ritabrata' and 'Kalighat' Factions Clash Over PAC
A battle for supremacy has intensified between the 'Ritabrata' and 'Kalighat' factions of the Trinamool Congress regarding the formation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the West Bengal Assembly.
Battle for supremacy between two Trinamool factions over PAC formation
The battle for supremacy between the 'Ritabrata' and 'Kalighat' factions of the Trinamool Congress has reached its peak regarding the formation of the 'Public Accounts Committee' (PAC), one of the most influential committees of the Bengal Assembly. Battle for Supremacy Between Two Trinamool Factions Over PAC Formation
By convention, six of the 20 seats on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) are allocated to the opposition, with one member chosen as the chairperson. However, due to the split within the Trinamool, the Ritabrata faction has strengthened its position through numerical superiority. The Ritabrata faction has proposed the names of Firhad Hakim (Bobby), Biplab Mitra, Ghulam Rabbani, Kanhai Lal Agarwal, and Samar Mukherjee. In contrast, the Kalighat Trinamool faction has put forward only the name of senior MLA Ashok Deb. The remaining 14 members will be MLAs nominated by the ruling party (BJP). Apprehension of the Kalighat Faction Being Sidelined via the 'Mukul Formula'
Political analysts believe that just as the opposition was sidelined in the past by appointing Mukul Roy—a Trinamool loyalist who had joined the BJP—as the PAC chairperson, a similar 'Mukul formula' could now be used to politically outmaneuver the Kalighat faction by appointing Firhad Hakim as the chairperson. This decision is seen as virtually ensuring the sidelining of the Kalighat camp, marking a significant shift in the state's administrative and political dynamics. However, only time will tell how much the ruling BJP will trust Firhad Hakim.