Forged signature row: Trinamool expels 2 MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee, Sandipan Saha

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has expelled two of its MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha over alleged anti-party activities linked to a signature fraud investigation. The expulsion follows a formal complaint lodged by the two MLAs to the Assembly Speaker regarding a signature mismatch on a party letter concerning the Leader of the Opposition. Based on this complaint, the state Criminal Investigation Department initiated a probe into the alleged forgery of thirteen signatures. The controversy escalated after the Chief Minister disclosed the identities of the complainants during a press conference, revealing that three MLAs had already acknowledged their signatures were forged. The expelled MLAs had recently held a meeting with the Chief Minister in the Speaker's chamber. The political crisis deepens as the Trinamool Congress faces significant internal challenges, highlighted by the absence of approximately sixty out of eighty MLAs at a recent party meeting called by the party chief. Additionally, the state Criminal Investigation Department has issued a summons to the party's National General Secretary for questioning regarding the ongoing signature fraud investigation.