(Image source from: REUTERS)
Political chaos within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) seems to be spreading beyond West Bengal and reaching Parliament. Sources told India Today TV that around 23 MPs are communicating with a group of rebellious MLAs, and a division in the party's parliamentary team is possible in the near future. New signs of trouble come as internal issues grow within the party led by Mamata Banerjee after a significant uprising in the West Bengal Assembly. A large group of MLAs recently separated from the party's legislative group under Ritabrata Banerjee's leadership and claimed the position of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. According to insiders, dissatisfaction is also rising among TMC MPs, with several lawmakers reportedly unhappy with party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The increasing discontent in the leadership has led to talks about creating a separate group in Parliament.
Sources mentioned that a portion of Lok Sabha MPs is thinking about forming a breakaway faction, with more than twelve MPs already supportive of this idea. A senior MP is reportedly spearheading the new dissident group, although discussions are still presumed to be in early stages. The increasing numbers have sparked rumors regarding a potential official split. The TMC currently has 29 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while at least 22 MPs are necessary under anti-defection laws to be recognized as a separate group in the House. In the Rajya Sabha, the party has 13 members, where a minimum of nine MPs is needed for recognition. However, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee refrained from confirming if MPs were joining the dissident group and instead called for patience, saying "a lot can happen" soon. "I haven't spoken to any parliamentarians in the last week, so I can't predict their actions. But I focus on the present. Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. Be patient. Much can change," he stated.
The recent events represent one of the most significant internal struggles the TMC has faced in recent times, especially following their recent election losses and increasing dissatisfaction among certain groups within the party.
Experienced Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has made it clear that the turbulence in the Assembly may also impact Parliament. He noted that the scale of the dissatisfaction in the state legislature indicates deeper issues within the party. "I have never observed around 60 MLAs depart in such a brief time. A similar response might happen in the Lok Sabha as well," Roy stated. His comments have increased speculation about deepening divisions within the TMC's national organization. Additionally, Roy suggested that similar situations might arise in the Rajya Sabha, although he refrained from stating anything definitive. Recently, Roy has become one of the most outspoken critics within the party, openly questioning its internal operations and indicating that he is now associated with the group only in a superficial manner. This ongoing crisis has increased political unpredictability surrounding the TMC as the party tries to manage internal disagreements and maintain unity before upcoming political challenges.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has initiated steps to stop any further exits following the first major division in the party’s nearly three-decade history, personally reaching out to the dissenting legislators while senior leaders strive to keep the increasingly uneasy organization together after the post-election split. Party sources revealed that over the last couple of days, Banerjee has communicated with various MLAs from Howrah, Murshidabad, and North Dinajpur, with many of them seen attending gatherings of the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
According to party insiders, additional efforts to manage the situation are also taking place in Parliament. At the same time, dissatisfaction was apparent even among the rebel group regarding efforts to redefine Mamata Banerjee’s position. Numerous MLAs asserted publicly that she should remain as the party’s top leader and not be merely viewed as an advisor.
