Trinamool Congress faces internal crisis and defections after West Bengal election loss

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has entered a deep political crisis following its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election. Senior leaders and legislators are defecting to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or forming separate groups, prompting concerns about the party’s future.

According to an interview with Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose, the party is grappling with internal dissent, accusations of political intimidation, and the BJP’s growing influence in Bengal. Three distinct factions have emerged: the main TMC led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a splinter group of about 20 MPs headed by former loyalist Kakoli Dastidar that merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, and a rebel bloc of MLAs claiming to represent the “real” TMC and seeking control of the party symbol and finances.

Mamata Banerjee has taken to the streets to protest the eviction of hawkers, a move that underscores the party’s strained position. Actor‑turned‑politician Saayoni Ghosh, a former TMC campaigner, has also switched allegiance to the BJP and urged a hard line against Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.