Trouble mounts for Mamata as 23 TMC MPs in touch with rebel MLAs' camp: Sources

Political turmoil within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) now appears to be spilling beyond West Bengal and into Parliament, with sources telling India Today TV that as many as 23 MPs are in touch with a rebel group of MLAs and that a split in the party’s parliamentary wing cannot be ruled out in the coming days.

The fresh signs of further crisis come amid a deepening internal turbulence in the Mamata Banerjee-led party after a major rebellion in the West Bengal Assembly, where a large section of MLAs recently broke away from the party’s legislative fold under the leadership of Ritabrata Banerjee and staked claim to the post of Leader of Opposition in the House.

According to sources, discontent is now brewing among TMC MPs as well, with several parliamentarians reportedly unhappy with party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The growing unease within the leadership ranks is said to have triggered discussions on forming a separate bloc in Parliament.

Sources said a section of Lok Sabha MPs is actively exploring the possibility of creating a breakaway group, with more than a dozen MPs already said to be in favour of such a move. A senior MP is reportedly leading the emerging dissident faction, although discussions are still understood to be at a fluid stage.

The numbers have further fuelled speculation over a possible formal split. The TMC currently has 29 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while at least 22 MPs are required under anti-defection law provisions for recognition as a separate group in the House. In the Rajya Sabha, the party has 13 members, where the threshold for recognition stands at nine MPs.

However, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee stopped short of confirming whether MPs were joining the dissident camp and instead urged patience, saying "a lot can happen" in the coming days.

"I have not spoken to any parliamentarians in the last seven days, so I can't say what parliamentarians would do. But I live in the now. Nobody can say what will happen tomorrow. Have patience. A lot can happen," he said.

The developments mark one of the most serious internal challenges faced by the TMC in recent years, particularly after its recent electoral setbacks and growing unease within sections of the organisation.

Veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has also publicly indicated that the unrest in the Assembly could extend to Parliament. Referring to the scale of the rebellion in the state legislature, Roy said the speed and magnitude of the revolt pointed to wider instability within the party.

"I have never seen around 60 MLAs leave in such a short span of time. A similar reaction is likely in the Lok Sabha too," Roy had said.

His remarks have further intensified speculation over widening fault lines within the TMC's national structure. Roy has also hinted that similar developments cannot be ruled out in the Rajya Sabha, though he stopped short of making any firm prediction.

In recent weeks, Roy has emerged as one of the most vocal critics within the party, publicly questioning its internal functioning and suggesting that he now remains associated with the organisation only in a formal capacity.

The unfolding crisis has heightened political uncertainty around the TMC at a time when the party is attempting to contain internal dissent and preserve organisational cohesion ahead of future political battles.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has launched efforts to prevent further defections following the first split in the party's 28-year history, personally reaching out to rebel legislators even as senior leaders work to keep the increasingly restless organisation united after the post-poll rupture.

Sources within the party said Banerjee has, over the past two days, spoken to several MLAs from Howrah, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur, many of whom were seen attending meetings of the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel camp.

According to party insiders, parallel damage-control exercises are also underway in Parliament.

At the same time, discontent was visible even within the rebel camp over attempts to redefine Mamata Banerjee’s role. Several MLAs publicly insisted that she must continue as the party’s supreme leader and should not be reduced to the role of an adviser.