About 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs plan to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek recognition as a separate bloc [1], [2].
This move threatens the stability of the TMC in Parliament and signals a potential shift in the balance of power toward the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). If the Speaker grants the request, the dissidents could officially move their seating to the government side of the house.
The rebel faction is led by Sudip Bandyopadhyay. The group intends to request official recognition to operate independently of the main TMC party line [1]. Reports indicate the group may meet the Speaker on Monday, though some sources suggest a formal move could occur as early as Friday [2].
Senior TMC leader Mahua Moitra said the move targets Bandyopadhyay for misleading party leadership [1]. Moitra said that those she described as traitors do not know the law and should resign their seats to contest again on BJP tickets [2].
The internal crisis follows a series of election setbacks and defections that have strained the party's cohesion [1]. The dissidents are seeking a formal arrangement that allows them to align with the NDA without immediately triggering the anti-defection laws that typically force a resignation upon switching parties.
In West Bengal, the turmoil continues as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently removed Saayoni Ghosh from her position as youth president [3]. Additionally, Suvendu Adhikari is reported to be meeting with the rebel MPs to discuss the transition [3].
“The rebel faction plans to meet the Speaker on Monday”
The attempt by about 20 MPs to form a separate bloc is a strategic maneuver to avoid the immediate legal consequences of defection while shifting political loyalty. If successful, it would significantly diminish the TMC's voting strength in the Lok Sabha and provide the NDA with a larger, more consolidated parliamentary presence.
