Ritabrata Banerjee
Ritabrata Banerjee | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 3 June 2026 | |
| Governor | R. N. Ravi |
| Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 4 May 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Bidesh Ranjan Bose |
| Constituency | Uluberia Purba |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 13 December 2024 – 2 April 2026[1] | |
| Preceded by | Jawhar Sircar |
| Succeeded by | Koel Mallick |
| Constituency | West Bengal |
| In office 3 April 2014 – 2 April 2020 | |
| Succeeded by | Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya |
| Constituency | West Bengal |
| State President of INTTUC West Bengal | |
| In office 20 November 2020 – 1 June 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Madan Mitra |
| Succeeded by | Moloy Ghatak |
| General Secretary of Students' Federation of India | |
| In office 5 September 2008 – 25 January 2016 | |
| Preceded by | K. K. Ragesh |
| Succeeded by | Vikram Singh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 November 1978 Calcutta, West Bengal, India |
| Party | All India Trinamool Congress (Rebel Bloc) (2026–present) |
Other party | Communist Party of India (Marxist) (till 2017) Independent (2017–2020) |
| University of Calcutta (MA) Asutosh College (BA) | |
Ritabrata Banerjee (born 15 November 1979) is an Indian politician currently serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly since June 2026. He is serving as a Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Uluberia Purba AC. He previously had served as Rajya Sabha MP for two terms.
Early life
[edit]Ritabrata Banerjee has attended school at South Point High School, Kolkata, and obtained BA degree from Asutosh College and MA degrees in English at Calcutta University. He is a full-time political activist and a former General Secretary of the Student Union in his college.[2]
Political Career
[edit]Ritabrata Banerjee's political journey began during his student days in Kolkata, when he was studying at Asutosh College. He actively became involved with Students' Federation of India, which is an affiliate of Communist Party of India (Marxist). He became extremely popular in unions as he was an efficient orator, and could grab people's attention easily.[3]
In 2008, Ritabrata was elected as the National General Secretary of the Students' Federation of India (SFI). He led student protest, political campaigns and national conferences throughout India.[2][3]
In 2014, Ritabrata was made Rajya Sabha candidate by CPI(M) from West Bengal and he won it unopposed. Later he was accused with sexual exploitation, some explicit videos of his were leaked and he also had conflicts with Mohammed Salim, Prakash Karat, and Brinda Karat. He openely critisized them in several shows with ABP Ananda, Republic Media. Consequently after those interviews he was expelled from the party.[4]
He remained a Rajya Sabha MP till 2020, completing his term. He joined Trinamool Congress in 2020, and was made West Bengal State President of Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress. In this period he was relatively less in media.
In 2024, Ritabrata was made a Rajya Sabha MP again replacing Jawhar Sircar. He played a key role in Rajya Sabha promoting Bengali Patriotism and Anti-BJP stance.
In 2026, Ritabrata became a Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Uluberia Purba. After TMC's historic loss, a controversy sparked regarding the signature forgery for the appointment of Leader of Opposition. Ritabrata and Sandipan Saha reportedly reported about this to the Speaker of the Assembly and was later reported to Police, followed by CBI-West Bengal. This report led to expulsion of Ritabrata and Sandipan from party.
After this Ritabrata on 9 June 2026, claimed the support of 58+2 MLAs out of TMC's 80. Speaker approved the signatures and Ritabrata was selected as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
Political controversy
[edit]He has been alleged along with other young comrades for harassment of former Finance minister of West Bengal Amit Mitra in New Delhi. In April 2013 in a protest program organised by Student Federation of India before the Planning Commission, few young members of the student organisation harassed Mr. Mitra.[3]
He was suspended from CPI(M) party membership on 2 June 2017 for 3 months pending investigations to the allegations of moral turpitude and leaking party secrets to the press.[5] On 10 October 2017 a lady named Namrata Dutta filed a complaint against Banerjee in Balurghat Police Station for sexual exploitation by promising marriage.[6][7] Ritabrata denied the accusation claiming the woman was extorting money from him asked him for 50 Lakhs not to file an FIR and uploaded screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation in which she asked him for money.[8] Subsequently, CID, West Bengal served a notice to him.[9] Ritabrata was expelled by the CPI(M) after an interview to ABP Ananda television channel in which he spoke against Mohammed Salim. Ritabrata claimed that he was not against the party and only against Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and Mohammed Salim.[10][4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Ritabrata is RS MP unopposed". The Times of India. Kolkata. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ a b "Ritabrata Banerjee Profile Educational Life & Political Career". kolkatabengalinfo.com. 11 November 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c PTI (22 April 2013). "Six CPM, SFI activists held for assaulting Amit Mitra". Times of India. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ a b "CPM expels RS MP Ritabrata, Yechury-Karat tussle deepens". Manoj C G. Indian Express. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ Subhankar Mitra (17 February 2017). "Eki comrade! Dami ghori, kolom (Bengali)". India.com. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ^ "Woman who accused Ritabrata Banerjee of sexual exploitation, lodges complaint". hindustantimes.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Kousik Sen. "Woman complains against Ritabrata". Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ "Expelled CPI(M) MP Ritabrata accused of sexual exploitation, responds with extortion allegation". Hindustan Times. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ PTI (11 October 2017). "Ritabrata Banerjee served notice by West Bengal Police over woman's complaint". Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ "My Fight Is Against Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Mohd Salim, Says Expelled CPI(M) MP Ritabrata Banerjee". Outlook. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2018.