- Abhishek Banerjee visited Delhi ahead of INDIA bloc meeting.
- Fifty-eight TMC MLAs rebelled, claiming principal opposition status.
- Expelled Ritabrata Banerjee leads rebels, shunning Abhishek Banerjee.
Days after a major rebellion rocked the Trinamool Congress (TMC), party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Saturday amid growing concerns that the political crisis within the party could spill over into Parliament. His visit comes just a day before TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to attend the INDIA bloc meeting in the national capital.
According to the earlier schedule, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee were expected to travel to Delhi together for the opposition alliance meeting. However, Abhishek reached the capital a day in advance.
While no official reason was given for the visit, political observers and party insiders are viewing the move as an attempt by the TMC leadership to assess the evolving situation ahead of the INDIA bloc discussions.
“I don’t know why Abhishek is going to Delhi today. I am not in Delhi or Kolkata now. I haven’t heard about any meeting,” a TMC MP, who did not wish to be named, told PTI.
Rebellion In Bengal Deepens TMC Crisis
The developments come at a time when the TMC is battling one of the biggest internal crises in its history.
Earlier this week, 58 out of the party’s 80 MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly openly rebelled and staked claim to become the principal Opposition party in the state Assembly, effectively splitting the party vertically.
The scale of the crisis became more visible on Friday when only eight non-rebelling MLAs attended a meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee at her residence.
The rebellion is being led by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, who claimed after meeting the Assembly Speaker on Wednesday that he had been recognised as the Leader of the Opposition in the House.
The rebel faction has also stated that while they would request Mamata Banerjee to act as their “principal adviser”, they would not maintain any interaction with her nephew and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Fears Of Similar Split In Parliament
The crisis has now triggered speculation that a similar rebellion could emerge within the TMC’s parliamentary ranks in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
“I have never seen around 60 MLAs leave in such a short span of time. A similar reaction is likely in the Lok Sabha too,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy told PTI.
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However, senior party leader and MP Sougata Roy downplayed the concerns and described the Assembly rebellion as a temporary setback.
“The BJP may try an operation in the TMC’s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wings, similar to what happened in the West Bengal Assembly. But Mamata Banerjee has fought bigger battles and will bounce back,” Sougata Roy said.
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