Rebel TMC MPs Meet BJP Leaders Amid Party Crisis

At least 12 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in New Delhi this week ^[1].

The meetings signal a deepening internal crisis for the TMC, suggesting a potential mass defection to the BJP that could destabilize the party's influence in Parliament.

The rebel lawmakers held closed-door discussions with senior BJP figures, including Bhupender Yadav and Suvendu Adhikari [1, 2]. While at least 12 MPs participated in these meetings ^[2], other reports indicate that as many as 23 MPs are currently in touch with the rebel camp ^[3].

This political volatility coincides with a significant leadership loss for the TMC. Senior party leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy resigned from both the party and the Rajya Sabha [1, 3].

These developments occurred while TMC chief Mamata Banerjee was attending a meeting of the INDIA bloc ^[1]. The timing of the resignations and the secret meetings in the capital suggests a coordinated effort by dissidents to distance themselves from the party leadership.

The internal split comes as the party faces growing pressure to maintain unity within its ranks. The shift of lawmakers toward the BJP, the primary opposition to the TMC in West Bengal, could shift the balance of power in regional and national legislative dynamics [1, 3].