The crisis within the Trinamool Congress worsened on Wednesday as Jadavpur Lok Sabha MP Saayoni Ghosh and Kolkata Dakshin MP Mala Roy are likely to join the rebel faction led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. Reports suggested that Saayoni Ghosh contacted Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, extended her support to the breakaway group and signed the documents backing the faction.
Saayoni Ghosh's major grievances was lack of support from party leadership
Reports said that one of her major grievances was the lack of support from the party leadership when she came under attack during an election campaign. She also reportedly felt isolated during that period and claimed that nobody within the party stood by her. She was also asked to cut short her campaign, a decision that added to her dissatisfaction with the organisation.
MP Mala Roy likely to join rebel camp
In a similar development, Kolkata Dakshin MP Mala Roy, a veteran leader and a key face of the TMC in the city, is also likely to to join the rebel bloc aligned with the NDA. Her move to join rebel camp comes at a time when the party is already reeling from losses in its traditional strongholds, including a significant defeat in Bhabanipur — Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s home turf — as well as the adjacent Rashbehari Assembly seat.
The move from these two MPs is particularly significant as Saayoni was recently appointed chief of the party’s women’s wing, making her one of the prominent faces of the Trinamool Congress.
Fresh challenges for Mamata Banerjee amid TMC crisis
With Saayoni Ghosh and Mala Roy rebelling against TMC, and Sushmita Dev resigning from Parliament, the political turbulence within the Trinamool Congress appears to be intensifying, posing fresh challenges for Mamata Banerjee and the party leadership. Mala Roy has also flown in to Delhi and is likely to join the rebel camp. With Saayoni Ghosh and Mala Roy rebelling against the TMC, the rebel MPs number will increase to 22.
In the wake of these developments, the Trinamool Congress is facing one of its most severe political crises in recent times, as internal dissent deepens following electoral setbacks in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
With the rebellion gathering momentum, senior leaders including Abhishek Banerjee, Mahua Moitra, Kalyan Banerjee, and Kirti Azad are increasingly finding themselves under pressure, with the party’s strength in the Lok Sabha potentially shrinking further.
Sushmita Dev resigns from TMC
Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev on Wednesday resigned from the party and the Rajya Sabha, dealing a fresh blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led party which is facing an internal storm after its defeat in the West Bengal assembly polls. Amid speculation that she may join the BJP, Dev said she has resigned due to "personal and political reasons".
Dev, a former Congress leader who had joined the TMC a few years ago, met Rajya Sabha chairman C P Radhakrishnan and resigned from the membership of the House.
She also met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at his residence here. Speaking to reporters after the meetng, Dev said she has resigned not only from the party but also from Rajya Sabha. While she declined to comment on TMC chief Mamata Banerjee or her future political plans, Dev said, "It's my individual decision, what kind of politics I want to do and who should be my leader. I have my reasons and that's why I have taken my decision".
At this moment, the Trinamool Congress is facing a rebellion after its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls, with several party MPs deciding to form a separate group and align with the ruling NDA. A majority of Trinamool's 80 MLAs have already formed a separate group led by Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of opposition in the state Assembly.
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