The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is dealing with its biggest crisis since its formation, as most of the MPs and MLAs have openly rebelled against the party leadership. In Lok Sabha, where the TMC is the third largest constituent in the opposition, around 20 MPs have reportedly signed the rebel list, bringing the party nearly to a split in the lower House.
The 20 MPs include several prominent names such as Kakoli Ghosh, Saayoni Ghosh and Yusuf Pathan. Reports have also claimed that TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha has also signed the rebel list. However, sources close to him have told India TV that all such reports are false.
They have maintained that the actor-turned-politician has not signed any letter and "stories of him singing a letter are incorrect". Sinha, who is a Lok Sabha member from the Asansol constituency, is currently out of Delhi, sources told India TV.
However, it is worth noting that Sinha himself has not issued a statement or any kind of remark on this yet.
The growing rebel within the TMC
The TMC is facing a crisis at all fronts: the West Bengal Assembly, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. In the Assembly, the rebel is led by expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee who has been declared the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the House with support of 57 TMC MLAs.
Similarly, out of 28 TMC's Lok Sabha members, 20 have reportedly rebelled against the party, causing a near split. In the Rajya Sabha, three members have also resigned, with Prakash Chik Baraik being the latest one. Baraik's resignation has brought the TMC's strength in the upper House from 13 to 10.
It is getting tougher for Mamata Banerjee to suppress the rebel. Amid this, reports have surfaced that the TMC could merge with the Congress. The speculations of this only intensified after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.
However, the TMC has refuted such speculations, stating there was no such plan. "We have no such information. This is baseless," a senior TMC leader told news agency PTI.
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