- Mamata met Sonia Gandhi amid TMC’s major internal crisis.
- Rebel TMC leaders defected, aligning with the NDA.
- Key resignations, CID probe add to party turmoil.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath in Delhi against the backdrop of an escalating crisis within the TMC following the party’s defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.
According to sources, the two leaders discussed the evolving political situation in West Bengal, coordination between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress going forward, and developments following the INDIA bloc meeting attended by opposition leaders earlier in the day.
Sources said Mamata Banerjee apprised Sonia Gandhi of the “latest political situation” in West Bengal amid a wave of resignations, rebellion and internal unrest within the TMC.
During the meeting, Sonia Gandhi reportedly assured Banerjee of support, telling her, “In difficult situations, we are with you.”
TMC Faces Biggest Internal Crisis In Years
The meeting came as Mamata Banerjee battles what is being seen as the biggest organisational challenge since she founded the Trinamool Congress in 1998 after breaking away from the Congress.
The TMC, which governed West Bengal for three straight terms since 2011, has been facing defections and internal dissent after losing power to the BJP in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
Last week, MLA Ritabrata Banerjee staked claim to the post of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly with the support of 58 legislators. Speaker Rathindra Nath Bose later recognised the rebel group as the principal opposition bloc.
The rebels accused the party leadership of functioning in an “authoritarian manner” and openly questioned the role of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Rebel MPs Move Towards NDA
In another major setback for the TMC, MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that nearly 20 Trinamool MPs had decided to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
“Nearly 20 TMC MPs, including me, decided to lend support to the BJP-led NDA,” Dastidar said.
She further claimed that the group had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing their desire to align with the NDA.
“We accepted poll verdict in Bengal, believe our future political course should be aligned with NDA,” she said.
Earlier in the day, several rebel TMC leaders met Union Minister and BJP observer for Bengal Bhupender Yadav in Delhi. West Bengal Chief Minister and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was also present at the meeting.
Among those seen at the meeting were former Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Jagadish Basunia, Kali Pada Soren, Arup Chakraborty, Abu Taher, Asit Mal, Dr Sharmila Sarkar and Khalilur Rahman.
The meeting took place while Mamata Banerjee was attending the INDIA bloc meeting at Delhi’s Constitution Club.
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy Resigns
The political developments gathered pace after veteran parliamentarian Sukhendu Sekhar Roy resigned from both the TMC and the Rajya Sabha earlier on Monday.
His resignation added to growing speculation about unrest within the party ranks and dissatisfaction among sections of TMC lawmakers.
The turmoil follows recent reports that several MLAs had backed Ritabrata Banerjee instead of the party’s preferred choice, Shovandeb Chattopadhyay, for the post of Leader of Opposition.
CID Team Reaches Mamata’s Residence
Amid the intensifying crisis, a CID team also reached Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence in Kolkata on Monday as part of an investigation into the alleged forged signature of MLAs controversy.
Officials of the state investigating agency, accompanied by personnel from Kalighat police station and women police personnel, arrived at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street around noon, according to PTI.
The residence also serves as the TMC’s central party office.
Civic Body Leadership Under Cloud
The crisis has also spread to the party’s urban political structure.
Last week, senior TMC leaders Firhad Hakim and Krishna Chakraborty resigned from their mayoral positions in the Kolkata and Bidhannagar municipal corporations respectively, creating uncertainty over the party’s control in civic bodies.
Mahua Moitra Attacks Rebels
TMC MP Mahua Moitra launched a sharp attack on leaders accused of moving closer to the BJP, saying those elected on a TMC mandate had “no moral right” to support the NDA without resigning first.
“MPs were elected in 2024 on a TMC ticket. The mandate was not for the NDA. All the greedy, self-serving traitors can join the BJP now — resign your seats and contest on a BJP ticket. Let’s see how popular you really are,” Moitra wrote on X.
She also questioned reports that TMC MP Yusuf Pathan had travelled to Delhi after being summoned by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Yusuf Pathan, are you rushing to Delhi because Amit Shah has called you? Have some courage. You played for India. Our district elected you with a huge mandate. Show some dignity and backbone,” she said.
‘I Was Also Offered’: Saugata Roy
Senior TMC leader Saugata Roy revealed that he too had received an offer from the BJP to switch sides but had declined it.
“Yes, I received an offer from the BJP to join them. But I rejected it. I will remain with the party on whose symbol I won the election,” Roy told ANI.
Roy said the TMC was being “targeted repeatedly” and added that support from opposition allies would strengthen the party.
“When Abhishek Banerjee was attacked, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident,” he said.
