Twenty Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs wrote to Speaker Om Birla on Monday, June 8, 2024, seeking to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance [1].
The move threatens to trigger a formal split in the West Bengal-based party's parliamentary unit. By securing 20 signatures, the rebel faction exceeds the minimum of 19 MPs required to trigger anti-defection provisions [1].
Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar led the group in the letter addressed to the Speaker in New Delhi [1]. The rebel lawmakers said they were dissatisfied with the current TMC leadership and alleged misgovernance in West Bengal [4, 5]. Some reports also identify Ritabrata Banerjee as a leader of the rebel faction [3].
The official TMC camp has disputed the scale of the rebellion. Party leadership said only 13 MPs belong to the rebel faction [3]. Other reports suggest the crisis is deeper, stating that as many as 23 MPs are in touch with the rebel camp [5].
The rebel group has requested separate seating in the Lok Sabha as they seek entry into the NDA [2]. This internal conflict comes as the party faces increasing pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party in its home state of West Bengal.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called an emergency meeting following the reports of the split [5]. The outcome of the meeting will determine if the party can reconcile with the dissidents, or if the parliamentary party will officially fracture.
“Twenty TMC Lok Sabha MPs wrote to Speaker Om Birla on Monday, June 8, 2024, seeking to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance”
This development represents a strategic attempt by a significant bloc of TMC lawmakers to bypass anti-defection laws, which typically disqualify individual defectors. By claiming a split of two-thirds of the party's strength, the rebels aim to join the NDA without losing their seats. If successful, this would significantly weaken Mamata Banerjee's influence in the Lok Sabha and provide the BJP-led alliance with additional leverage over West Bengal's political landscape.
