Trinamool Congress faces internal split as senior leaders resign and clash with Abhishek Banerjee

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal is engulfed in a deep internal crisis following a disappointing state election. Senior figures have quit the party, including former MP Sushmita Dev, Rajya Sabha member Prakash Chik Baraik and ex‑minister Sukhendu Sekhar Ray. Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee says his faction now commands 64 MLAs and plans to approach the state assembly speaker.

In Parliament, a group of about 20 TMC MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, has formally asked the Lok Sabha speaker for separate seating, signalling a potential split. Ghosh Dastidar argued, "We are 20 MPs who have requested the Speaker for separate seating."

The dispute has also turned personal. Senior MP Kalyan Banerjee publicly demanded that Mamata Banerjee choose between him and her nephew, national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, warning, "choose between me and Abhishek Banerjee." He quit handling legal matters for Abhishek, accusing him of arrogance.

Party leaders and allies have responded. TMC MP Kirti Azad dismissed merger rumours with the Congress and accused the BJP of a failed "Operation Lotus" to split the party. Other TMC members, including Babul Supriyo and Kunal Ghosh, have defended the party’s unity and its role in the INDIA opposition bloc.

The turmoil reflects growing frustration over alleged corruption, leadership style, and the party’s electoral setback, raising concerns about TMC's cohesion ahead of upcoming national elections.