Ritabrata Banerjee, The Turncoat Who Turned Against Mamata Banerjee

46-year-old Ritabrata Banerjee will go down in history as a political "adventurer". Whether he succeeds or fails is yet to be seen. But his dramatic political career will not go unmarked. It is to be seen whether his final title in Bengal's political gazette will be of the much-loved last nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah or his betrayer, commander Mir Jafar, whose name is used as an abuse even today.

Flirting across ideological party lines - CPI(M) to Trinamool Congress -- is not easy even for a well-read, great conversationist like him, but Ritabrata Banerjee travelled that path. From earning favour of the CPI(M) leadership and getting expelled for going against it. Then to move to the Trinamool Congress, and now attempt to split it with tacit supported of the BJP. It's is a tricky road to take in politics.

Banerjee's political adventures landed him in Rajya Sabha at the rare age of 35 in 2014 after much conflict within his former party, the CPI(M). He was seen as the blue-eyed boy of former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. Within three years he was expelled from the party in 2017 for anti-party activities and extravagant lifestyle that was unacceptable by the Communist party norms.

Questions were raised over what party colleagues described as a lifestyle unbecoming of a Communist leader. Expensive gadgets, an Apple watch and a Mont Blanc pen became subjects of discussion in a party that prided itself on austere politics. Then came allegations of indiscipline, factionalism and public criticism of senior leaders.

During his brief exile, Ritabrata Banerjee formed a close association with BJP leaders -- the newly converted Mukul Roy who shifted from Trinamool Congress and his handler in Bengal Kailash Vijaywargiya. But after a police case involving a woman, he switched gears and began appearing on platforms sympathetic to the TMC. 

Now the path led to Mamata Banerjee, who Ritabrata openly supported. He even compared the then West Bengal Chief Minister's welfare politics to the Communist ideals laid down by Vladimir Lenin. With Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee's growing trust in him Ritabrata joined the Trinamool in 2020, became in-charge of the TMC's trade union and then a full Rajya Sabha term.

With his Rajya Sabha term over, Ritabrata was given the assembly ticket to contest from Ulluberia Purba. While Mamata Banerjee lost her seat, Ritabrata won his first real contest on the ground to become a first-time MLA on May 4 2026.

But he was soon seen hobnobbing with Suvendu Adhikari. And now he has triggered a likely split in the TMC to become leader of opposition in the Bengal assembly, backed by the BJP's Speaker.

Known for his articulate and well-researched speeches in Parliament and elsewhere, the Masters degree holder in English literature from University of Calcutta, as general secretary of SFI he had also spearheaded the attack on the then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Finance Minister Amit Mitra at the Planning Commission gates in 2013, protesting against the death of student leader in police custody in Kolkata. Ritabrata was arrested by the Delhi Police for the attack on the West Bengal chief minister and Amit Mitra who was physically heckled.

The promising young Communist by training, who rose from the ranks in the CPI(M), as a student leader to become the All India general secretary of the SFI (Students' Federation of India), the party's Student's wing, reached the Rajya Sabha, lost his party's favour, moved to TMC and now is demolishing the same party which gave him a full RS term, got him to his first stint as elected MLA, Ritabrata will have to prove his commitment to the people if he has to remain in politics, rather than prove his personal intellectual value and maneuvering skills in politics.