Mamata Banerjee faces TMC rebellion as MPs consider backing the NDA

After the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a crushing defeat in West Bengal's assembly elections, a faction of its Lok Sabha MPs began breaking away. Approximately 19‑20 rebel MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy, submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition of a separate parliamentary bloc and declared support for the BJP‑led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The rebel list includes Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Birbhum MP Satabdi Roy, Mathurapur MP Bapi Haldar, Bardhaman Purba MP Sharmila Sarkar, Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Barma Basunia, Bolpur MP Asit Mal and several others. Their numbers exceed the two‑thirds threshold under anti‑defection rules, potentially granting them legal protection.

Party chief Mamata Banerjee responded by dissolving all TMC committees and re‑appointing new wing leaders, but some of those appointees—such as Mala Roy and Saayoni Ghosh—subsequently joined the rebel camp. Senior TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh publicly accused fellow MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay of party‑hopping, adding to intra‑party tensions. Veteran actor‑turned‑MP Shatrughan Sinha, however, reiterated his loyalty to Banerjee, stating he will stand by her even if alone. The rebels plan to meet the Speaker on Monday to formalise their claim, while the main TMC leadership seeks to retain control of the party.