The Trinamool Congress (TMC) found itself embroiled in a deepening internal crisis on Tuesday as tensions between the party leadership and a dissident faction spilled into the public domain.
The row intensified after rebel leader and Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that nearly 20 TMC MPs were preparing to write to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing support for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The move, if carried out, could trigger a major political confrontation within the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
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Responding sharply, TMC Lok Sabha Chief Whip Kalyan Banerjee launched a blistering attack on the dissident group during a press conference. He labelled the rebels as “traitors” and “gaddars” and challenged them to resign from the party and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate.
Banerjee alleged that the dissidents had exposed their true intentions after meeting senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav. According to him, the rebel MPs had abandoned the party’s grassroots workers while continuing to enjoy the benefits and privileges that came with their positions.
The senior TMC leader also targeted rebel MP Sharmila Sarkar, accusing her of remaining silent on several important issues, including the controversy surrounding Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The escalating war of words comes amid growing uncertainty over the party’s parliamentary leadership. The dissident camp is expected to argue that Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar remains the legitimate chief whip of the party in the Lok Sabha, potentially setting up a fresh battle over control and authority within the TMC’s parliamentary wing.
The developments have raised questions about unity within the party as the leadership attempts to contain the fallout from one of its most serious internal challenges in recent years.
