TMC Replaces Yusuf Pathan with Abhishek Banerjee in All-Party Delegation After Centre-Level Talks
Just a day after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) declined to send its MP Yusuf Pathan—selected by the Centre as part of an all-party delegation to visit foreign countries—citing a lack of consultation, the party has now agreed to participate, but with a key change. Abhishek Banerjee,
TMC’s Diamond Harbour MP and national general secretary has replaced Pathan in the delegation.
The delegation, headed by JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, is scheduled to visit several nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.
Other members of this high-level team include CPI(M) MP John Brittas, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid.
According to sources, the TMC’s change of stance came after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reached out to TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Following this communication, she recommended Abhishek Banerjee’s name for inclusion in one of the delegations.
Simultaneously, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) also confirmed its participation, announcing that MP Priyanka Chaturvedi will be part of the delegation.
The party emphasised that the initiative is about combating terrorism globally, not political posturing. It said that Uddhav Thackeray received a direct call from Minister Rijiju and was reassured that the mission is focused on national interest.
This assurance marks a softening of the party’s earlier stance. Just two days prior, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had sharply criticised the Centre’s initiative, referring to the delegations as a mere “baraat” (wedding procession) and dismissing them as theatrics.
He had accused the ruling BJP of bypassing the INDIA bloc and major opposition parties like the TMC, RJD, and Samajwadi Party, despite their parliamentary strength.
The Sena (UBT), while confirming its participation, reiterated in a statement that it would continue to raise questions about intelligence failures and cross-border attacks, particularly the recent situation in Pahalgam.
The party called for better coordination in the future and suggested that all parties be informed in advance to avoid confusion and political discord.
Initially, Yusuf Pathan, the cricketer-turned-first-time MP from Baharampur, was named as TMC’s lone representative on one of the seven foreign delegations.
With senior TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay withdrawing due to health issues, Pathan was the only representative from the second-largest opposition party, following the Congress. However, the TMC objected to Pathan’s inclusion without prior consultation.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made the party’s position clear on Monday, stating: “The Centre cannot unilaterally decide who will represent the TMC. If they make a formal request, the party will nominate someone.
That’s the convention. We fully support the Centre on foreign policy matters, but the process must be followed.”
The TMC also announced a separate party delegation to visit Jammu and Kashmir’s conflict-affected regions—Srinagar, Poonch, and Rajouri—to express solidarity with citizens impacted by cross-border terrorism.
The delegation will be led by West Bengal Minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia and will include MPs Derek O’Brien, Sagarika Ghose, Md Nadimul Haque, and Mamata Thakur.
The Congress, while expressing similar concerns over the Centre’s selection process, agreed to send its nominated MPs, asserting that the fight against terrorism transcends political differences.
The government, in response, clarified that none of the parties had been formally consulted before finalizing the lists.
This evolving political consensus, despite early resistance, reflects a recognition across party lines of the importance of presenting a united national front on international platforms, especially when it comes to combating terrorism and safeguarding India’s global interests.
