What’s Brewing in the TMC? Abhishek Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi Discuss Opposition Unity Amid Internal Turmoil

TMC and Congress Leaders Meet Amidst Internal Strife

New Delhi/Kolkata: On Wednesday, Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), engaged in discussions with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding the coordination of opposition efforts and the future of the INDIA alliance. This meeting comes at a time when the TMC is facing significant internal challenges, including recent resignations and a growing dissent within its ranks.

The two leaders met for nearly 90 minutes in New Delhi, just a day after Mamata Banerjee, the TMC chief, had a conversation with Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party. TMC officials indicated that these discussions are part of ongoing dialogues among INDIA bloc partners following a recent opposition meeting in the capital.

A senior TMC MP revealed that Banerjee and Gandhi addressed topics from the INDIA bloc meeting, including preparations for an upcoming follow-up meeting in Hyderabad and strategies for closer collaboration among opposition parties in the months ahead.

They reviewed the current situation, including the SIR issue, and discussed how to effectively prepare for the Hyderabad meeting while following up on decisions made during the INDIA bloc gathering, the MP noted.

The MP also suggested that further interactions between the two parties' leaders are anticipated as the opposition aims to refine its strategy against the ruling BJP.

This meeting occurred shortly after Mamata Banerjee's discussions with Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi, which lasted around 50 minutes and was pre-scheduled.

Sources indicated that Banerjee emphasized the importance of unity among opposition parties and effective coordination on public issues.

The renewed collaboration between Congress and TMC has sparked speculation about a potential merger, although senior TMC officials have dismissed these claims as unfounded.

We have no such information. This is baseless, a senior TMC leader stated.

As these developments unfolded in Delhi, the TMC continued to grapple with its internal issues.

Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev announced her resignation from both the party and the Upper House on Wednesday, marking the second resignation from the TMC this week after veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray also stepped down.

Dev, who transitioned to TMC from Congress in 2021, described her decision as personal and refrained from commenting on her future plans.

It is my individual decision regarding the type of politics I wish to pursue and who I choose as my leader. I have my reasons for this decision, she explained.

In response to rumors linking her to a potential shift to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Dev stated she would reveal her plans when the time is right, expressing admiration for the work of Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whom she met on the same day.

Dev's resignation adds to the uncertainty within the TMC, especially following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and a rebellion that has significantly undermined its organizational and legislative strength.

Recently, over two-thirds of the party's MLAs—58 out of 80—defected from the official TMC legislature party, gaining recognition as the principal opposition bloc in the West Bengal Assembly under expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The rebel faction claims its numbers have since increased.

This crisis has also extended to Parliament, where rebel MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar assert they have the backing of more than 20 Lok Sabha members. Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh and Kolkata Dakshin MP Mala Roy joined the dissident lawmakers on Wednesday.

In addition to Ghosh Dastidar and Ray, other notable figures in the rebel camp include MPs Abu Taher, Asit Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Jagadish Basunia, Prasun Banerjee, Sharmila Sarkar, Satabdi Roy, Yusuf Pathan, June Malia, Khalilur Rahaman, Bapi Halder, Rachana Banerjee, Mitali Bag, Dev Adhikari, and Partha Bhowmick. Although Shatrughan Sinha's name has been mentioned among the rebels, TMC sources assert that he remains loyal to Mamata Banerjee.

While Ghosh Dastidar has indicated they will communicate with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to express support for the ruling NDA, the letter has not been made public.

As reports circulate about some MPs considering a split, a senior TMC MP sought to clarify the distinction between a political party and a parliamentary party.

There is a difference between a political party and a parliamentary party, he stated.

He argued that no constitutional provision allows MPs to simply form another parliamentary group after leaving a party.

The only option is if two-thirds merge with another party, he explained, referencing anti-defection laws governing mergers.

The TMC leader cited examples from other parties and noted comparisons being drawn with past developments involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs, but maintained that the legal framework regarding parliamentary parties is clear.

Taking a jab at some dissenters, the MP remarked that the TMC has faced numerous political challenges since its inception in 1998, and many leaders who joined later have not experienced those struggles.

The TMC has been fighting since 1998. Those who joined later have not witnessed that struggle, he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Ritabrata Banerjee asserted that the dissident faction represents the true TMC and dismissed any merger with Congress.

Claiming the support of a majority of MLAs and an increasing number of MPs, he stated that the rebel group would continue to operate under the TMC banner.

We are the real Trinamool Congress. We are not merging with the Congress, he declared in Kolkata.

He also mentioned that MLAs, MPs, and organizational leaders aligned with his faction oppose any merger proposal and affirmed that the dissident group would pursue its own political path.