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Crisis Deepens for Mamata Banerjee

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing one of the biggest internal challenges in its history as a large-scale rebellion within the party continues to grow. The crisis began in the West Bengal Assembly, where around 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs have openly sided with a rebel camp. Now, concerns are rising that a similar split could soon affect the party’s parliamentary unit as well.
The developments come just days before Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit Delhi on June 8 for a meeting of the INDIA bloc.

Fears of a Split in Parliament

Senior TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy warned that the unrest seen among MLAs could spread to Parliament. He said he had never witnessed such a large number of legislators leaving the party’s fold in such a short period.

According to Roy, while the party may remain relatively secure in the Rajya Sabha, the situation in the Lok Sabha is far more uncertain. Under the anti-defection law, at least 20 of the TMC’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs and 9 of its 13 Rajya Sabha MPs would be required to break away without facing disqualification.

A senior TMC MP claimed that a split in the parliamentary party now appears inevitable. The leader alleged that around 20 MPs are already in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that the number could increase in the coming days. A senior BJP leader also confirmed that one of the party’s top leaders has been communicating with TMC MPs.

Mixed Signals from the Rebel Camp

There was a small sign of relief for Mamata Banerjee when only about half of the rebel MLAs attended a recent meeting of the dissident camp. Sources suggested that several MLAs were unhappy with the decision to reduce Mamata’s role to that of “chief adviser” and wanted her to continue as the party’s chairperson.

However, rebel leaders denied any internal differences. They insisted that the meeting was intended only for MLAs from Kolkata and nearby districts and that the rebel camp remains united.

Despite efforts by Mamata and her supporters to bring the dissidents back, none of the 60 rebel MLAs attended a meeting called by her at her residence on Friday evening.

Senior Leaders Voice Concerns

The meeting at Mamata’s residence was attended by senior leaders including Abhishek Banerjee, Firhad Hakim, and Kalyan Banerjee. Firhad Hakim also resigned as Kolkata Mayor on Friday. According to the party, the gathering was a National Working Committee meeting and not all MPs and MLAs had been invited.

Meanwhile, cracks are becoming visible among TMC MPs. Four-time Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigned from all organisational posts after expressing dissatisfaction with the party leadership and its internal functioning. Her resignation came after she was removed as the parliamentary party’s chief whip.

Ironically, her replacement, Kalyan Banerjee, has also expressed concern about the party’s future. He admitted that growing dissatisfaction among leaders was linked to what he described as corruption that had gone unchecked during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure.

Roy further intensified the debate by publicly questioning the level of internal democracy within the party. He also criticised the growing influence of political consultancy firm I-PAC in TMC’s decision making process.


“Questions Over Abhishek Banerjee’s Leadership”

A major point of disagreement within the rebel camp appears to be the role of Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary and Mamata Banerjee’s nephew.

Rebel MLA Musharraf Hossain stated that many dissident legislators still want Mamata Banerjee to remain the party’s leader but do not want to work under Abhishek’s leadership. He stressed that the rebels have no intention of breaking the party and continue to respect Mamata.

Hossain said that several MLAs had already conveyed this message to representatives sent by Mamata. He added that since the party leadership has dissolved all organisational committees, the final decision regarding Abhishek’s role rests with Mamata herself.

No Turning Back for Rebel Leaders

Not everyone in the rebel camp is willing to compromise. Rebel leaders Ritabrata and Sandipan Saha, both expelled from the party by Mamata Banerjee, have made it clear that they have no plans to return.

Ritabrata, who has been recognised by the Assembly Speaker as the Leader of the Opposition after receiving support from rebel MLAs, said the group remains united and expects its numbers to increase further.

Sandipan Saha echoed the same confidence, stating that the rebel faction has already been accepted as the principal opposition in the Assembly. While reiterating that Mamata Banerjee remains their leader, he maintained that her role should now be limited to that of an adviser.

A Defining Moment for the TMC

As Mamata Banerjee works to prevent a complete breakdown of party unity, the TMC finds itself at a critical crossroads. With rebellion spreading across the Assembly, dissatisfaction emerging among MPs, and growing questions about the leadership structure, the coming days could determine the future of the party.
Whether Mamata can reunite the organisation or whether the rebellion evolves into a formal split remains one of the biggest political questions in West Bengal today..