Major Political Upheaval in Trinamool Congress: 20 MPs Seek Alignment with NDA Amid Growing Internal Revolt

In a dramatic political development that could significantly reshape West Bengal’s political landscape, 20 of the Trinamool Congress’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs have reportedly sought to break away from the party’s parliamentary wing and align themselves with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The group, led by senior MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, has allegedly submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing its intention to sever ties with the Trinamool parliamentary party headed by Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary and nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Sources indicated that the decision emerged after a high-level meeting held at the New Delhi residence of Union Minister and senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav.

The gathering was also attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who is currently in the national capital.

The presence of senior BJP figures at the meeting has added further political significance to the unfolding developments.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bardhaman Purba MP Sharmila Sarkar, one of the lawmakers associated with the rebel faction, said the group had collectively decided to chart a separate political course.

While expressing respect for Mamata Banerjee, whom she referred to as “Didi,” Sarkar claimed that many MPs had been unable to effectively carry out developmental work under the existing arrangement.

According to Sarkar, the newly formed parliamentary bloc has been created under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and is focused on supporting initiatives that would contribute to the progress and development of West Bengal.

She maintained that the move was driven by the desire to ensure greater cooperation with the central government for the benefit of the state.

“We are a group of 20 Members of Parliament,” Sarkar said. “The meeting took place at Bhupender Yadav’s residence in the presence of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

We believe that supporting the NDA will help accelerate Bengal’s development. Kakoli di has already submitted the letter and is currently leading our group.”

The timing of the rebellion has made the episode even more politically striking. The developments unfolded on the same day that Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee were in New Delhi to participate in a meeting of the INDIA opposition alliance, a platform created to challenge the BJP at the national level.

The reported split comes against the backdrop of growing unrest within the Trinamool Congress following its disappointing performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.

Political observers view the latest developments as a continuation of the internal turmoil that has been brewing within the party since the electoral setback.

Signs of dissent had surfaced earlier when a substantial section of the party’s legislators reportedly opposed Mamata Banerjee’s decision to appoint Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.

What initially appeared to be a disagreement within the state unit has now seemingly expanded to the national stage, with a significant portion of the party’s Lok Sabha contingent joining the revolt.

The numbers involved are particularly significant from a parliamentary perspective.

With 20 out of 28 Lok Sabha MPs reportedly backing the breakaway faction, the group could potentially claim protection under provisions related to legislative splits, thereby reducing the immediate threat of disqualification under anti-defection regulations.

Their support for the NDA would also strengthen the ruling alliance’s position in Parliament and diminish the influence of one of the largest opposition parties in the Lok Sabha.

Questions remain over the future of the Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha members.

However, the uncertainty deepened further after senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy reportedly resigned from both the Upper House and the party earlier on Monday.

The Trinamool Congress currently holds 13 seats in the Rajya Sabha.

In a statement explaining his decision, Roy said that the electorate had delivered a historic mandate in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the recently concluded Assembly elections.

He argued that voters had chosen change after years of dissatisfaction over issues such as corruption, governance failures, law and order concerns, employment challenges, healthcare shortcomings, and alleged crimes against women.

Roy further stated that the newly elected government had already begun implementing measures aimed at rebuilding and transforming West Bengal in accordance with its electoral promises.

He described the mandate as a clear expression of the people’s will and said it deserved to be respected.

“Accepting the verdict delivered by the people with humility and respect, I have tendered my resignation from the Rajya Sabha as well as from the primary membership of the All India Trinamool Congress,” Roy said in his statement.

The political developments mark one of the most significant challenges faced by the Trinamool Congress in recent years and could have far-reaching implications for both West Bengal politics and the balance of power in Parliament.

As the situation continues to evolve, all eyes will remain on how the party leadership responds to the growing rebellion within its ranks.