About 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav in New Delhi to seek recognition as the real party [1].
This move signals a potential fracture within the TMC, as high-ranking lawmakers challenge the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Such a split could destabilize the party's hold on West Bengal and alter the balance of power in the Lok Sabha if the rebels defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The meeting took place at the New Delhi residence of Bhupendra Yadav in late May 2026 [1]. The group of lawmakers includes Sudeep Bandyopadhyay, Sayoni Ghosh, Mala Roy, Shatabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar [1]. These members expressed dissatisfaction with the current leadership and are seeking formal recognition as the legitimate faction of the TMC [1].
Reports on the size of the rebel group vary slightly. Some sources said that around 20 MPs are involved in the faction [1], while other reports indicate the number is 23 [3]. Beyond the parliamentary group, separate claims suggest that approximately 50 TMC MLAs are also in contact with the BJP [1].
Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are opposed to these developments. The leadership has viewed these moves as a crisis of internal discipline, a tension that has escalated as the rebel camp seeks a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to formalize their status [2].
The BJP has previously linked these internal frictions to potential defections. Saumitra Khan of the BJP said that members of the TMC were ready to switch sides [1]. The rebel MPs have not yet formally resigned their seats, but their request for recognition as the real TMC suggests a strategic attempt to seize control of the party apparatus from within.
“About 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav in New Delhi”
The attempt by a significant bloc of MPs to be recognized as the 'real' TMC is a tactical move to bypass a simple defection. By claiming leadership of the party, the rebels could potentially avoid the disqualification of their seats under anti-defection laws while simultaneously weakening Mamata Banerjee's authority. If the BJP successfully integrates these members, it would significantly increase its footprint in West Bengal, a state that has been a primary battleground for the two parties.
