Abhishek Banerjee's private jet trip fuels Trinamool Congress dispute

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee traveled from Kolkata to Delhi on a chartered private jet after meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The visit aimed to press the speaker to deny recognition to a splinter group of 20 MPs claiming a merger with the Nationalist Congress Party of India and to seek their disqualification under the Constitution’s 10th schedule.

Reports estimate the charter cost between ₹30 lakh and ₹100 lakh, with a typical nine‑hour flight on an Embraer ERJ‑135LR costing around ₹80 lakh. Critics within the party, including MLA and party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, questioned whether the expense was borne by the party and condemned the use of a private jet, especially after the recent electoral defeat that heightened scrutiny of party finances. Banerjee declined to confirm or deny the details of the flight.

The episode has intensified a growing rift within the Trinamool Congress, with factions disputing the legitimacy of the rebel bloc and demanding tighter control over party resources.