The Trinamul leadership has, over the weekend, suspended or expelled over 150 party functionaries contesting as or backing rebel Independents for the July 8 rural polls even after a warning from chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“The list will get longer.... The state leadership has been preparing another list of such dissidents and districts (party leaders in districts) have been advised to spot more such party workers who remain reluctant to campaign for the party’s official nominees,” said a senior Trinamul leader.

In a rare move, Trinamul leaders in the districts have been asked to conduct news meets in their respective areas and publicly announce the names of the punished party functionaries.

Multiple sources in Trinamul said the party leadership wanted to send out a clear message to the dissidents that frequent rebellions were unacceptable.

“It would not be possible for the party to take action against thousands over the next fortnight. It will certainly send out a message to countless, about the party’s strict stand against the dissidents,” said a Trinamul leader.

During his two-month outreach, Trinamul national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee repeatedly asked party workers not to contest as or back Independents in the rural polls, and warned that the party would not take them back even if they emerge victorious.

However, 11,970 such dissidents filed nominations to contest against Trinamul's official candidates, and it emerged as a challenge for the ruling dispensation, as most were incumbents of current rural bodies.

Mamata had during a June 17 meeting at her Kalighat residence requested all her party's dissidents to withdraw their nominations. During the internal meeting, she made it clear that the rebels wouldn’t be taken back in the party even if they happen to win the polls.

However, only 3,000-odd out of the 11,970 complied.

Trinamul insiders said the party took a three-way strategy to manage the Independents. First, the troubleshooters conveyed the message from Mamata. Second, they offered reluctant rebels organisational chairs according to their political weight. Third, those who stood firm nonetheless, were given an ultimatum and told to campaign for the official candidates, instead of themselves.

“After the party started announcing actions against the dissidents, a large number of such candidates started campaigning for official nominees,” said a Trinamul leader.

“Abhishek’s clear instruction is not to tolerate those who are still involved in anti-party activities. Action would be taken against all who turned rebel in these polls,” he added.

Among those 150-odd functionaries punished in the past two days, 56 names were listed by the state leadership, and the rest recommended by party leaders in the districts.

In the primary list of the punished party workers, there are 21 names from Nadia, 17 from South Dinajpur and 30 from Birbhum.

The party has also been monitoring the activities of at least a dozen senior leaders who turned up publicly to vent their ire over the party’s decision in the selection of candidates.

Abhishek is supposed to start his district visits on Tuesday, and campaign in most of the south Bengal districts for the July 8 panchayat polls.

It is expected that he would act against those senior leaders while visiting those districts.

“The party will not tolerate any senior or junior leaders involved in activities against the party. The process has started and it will continue,” said Trinamul state general-secretary Kunal Ghosh.