Speculation is mounting over whether veteran leader Firhad Hakim is distancing himself from Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee. In a development that has sent ripples through Bengal’s political circles, Hakim visited the chamber of Ritabrata Banerjee at the State Assembly on Monday. He was escorted to the Leader of the Opposition’s room by Sandipan Saha, a legislator recently expelled from the TMC. Hakim, however, declined to comment on the nature of the meeting.

Rising Speculations Amid Party Division

This high-profile meeting follows intense scrutiny surrounding Hakim’s political stance, especially since TMC lawmakers in the Assembly appeared to split into two factions. As one of Mamata Banerjee’s longest-standing loyalists, Hakim’s history with her dates back to their days in the Congress party, followed by a foundational role in the TMC. Under her leadership, he managed crucial ministerial portfolios and served as the Mayor of Kolkata.

The backdrop to this meeting is critical:

Recent Resignation: Just three days prior, Hakim resigned as Kolkata Mayor, reportedly with Mamata Banerjee’s consent.

The Nabanna Meeting: While the TMC leadership rejected the BJP’s recent electoral gains in Bengal, Hakim—acting as the MLA for Kolkata Port—attended a meeting at Nabanna convened by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, triggering widespread speculation.

The Emerging ‘Nav Trinamool Block’

Hakim’s visit straight to Ritabrata Banerjee’s chamber carries deep political undertones. Banerjee and Sandipan Saha are the architects behind the newly formed rebel faction, the *’Nav Trinamool Block’*, with Banerjee assuming the role of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Given that both leaders were recently expelled by the TMC, Hakim’s decision to meet them openly has raised serious questions.

Defending the move, Maheshtala MLA Subhasis Das stated: “We were all present in the Leader of the Opposition’s room when Bobby-da (Firhad Hakim) arrived. Is it wrong for a legislator to visit the opposition leader’s chamber? At the end of the day, we are all part of the Trinamool family.”

The Core Political Question

While political analysts note that Hakim is well within his rights as an MLA to visit any chamber in the Assembly, the optics are highly unusual. Observers particularly noted how Sandipan Saha physically escorted Hakim into the room.

The meeting raises a pivotal question for Bengal politics: Is Firhad Hakim preparing to cut ties with Mamata Banerjee to align with the rebel faction? If such a shift materializes, it remains to be seen how many TMC lawmakers will choose to stay loyal to the party leadership, leaving the ultimate strength of the ruling faction in the Assembly highly uncertain.

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