Mamata holds first major rally after election defeat

Trinamool Congress leader and former Chief Minister of the state Mamata Banerjee held her first major political rally following her defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. She addressed party workers and supporters at a rally organized at Dharmatala in Kolkata on the occasion of Martyrs' Day on Tuesday.

However, this year's Martyrs' Day was exceptional. As the party split into three factions, three separate programs were observed in Kolkata and Delhi. In accordance with the directions of the Calcutta High Court, the faction led by Mamata held its rally in the Birla Planetarium area, the faction led by rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee observed its program at Mayo Road, and the faction led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar observed Martyrs' Day at Rajghat in Delhi under the banner of the NCPI.

Addressing the rally, Mamata Banerjee claimed that the faction under her leadership is the main and authentic Trinamool Congress. She alleged that party leaders who joined the BJP had abandoned the party, adding that those who left would not be readmitted if they wished to return in the future. Raising allegations against the BJP regarding political vendetta, legal cases, and vote looting, she stated that the movement would continue and that the party could not be suppressed. She also spoke up regarding the safety of minorities and called upon workers to continue protesting against injustice.

On the other hand, at the rally held on Mayo Road, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee alleged that party workers had not received due dignity for a long time. Calling to free the party from authoritarian leadership, he criticized Abhishek Banerjee. Meanwhile, the National Congress also separately observed its own Martyrs' Day program on the same day at the Shahid Minar premises in Kolkata.