Another Trinamool MP Meets Union Minister, Fueling Defection Speculation Amid Party Crisis

Speculation is rife that another Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker may defect after six-time MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay met with Union minister Bhupender Yadav in Delhi. The meeting occurred amid growing buzz that a group of TMC's rebel MPs might approach Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to seek recognition as a separate parliamentary faction.

Following the meeting, the TMC took swift action, removing Bandyopadhyay from his post as North Kolkata organizational district president and replacing him with state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. Similar changes were made in the youth wing, with Saayoni Ghosh replaced by Arnab Banerjee. In a late-night development, former minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia also resigned from the party.

The internal turmoil within the TMC appears to have been precipitated by the party's defeat in recent assembly polls. Several leaders have voiced grievances, claiming their suggestions were disregarded and blaming Abhishek Banerjee, the party supremo's nephew, for the situation. The rebel MPs are reportedly leveraging their legislative numbers to claim legitimacy as the "real TMC."

TMC leaders loyal to Mamata Banerjee reacted sharply to Bandyopadhyay's move. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticized Bandyopadhyay, stating he has a history of switching political camps and misleads the party chief. Ghosh recalled being suspended for speaking out against Bandyopadhyay previously, asserting that his current actions prove his earlier warnings were justified.

“

Mamata gave these people posts and honour. In return they do this. Sudip Bandyopadhyay has a history of changing political camps. We repeatedly warned Mamata di. He just misleads Mamata di to run his show. I was once suspended for speaking out against him. Now it is proved that I was right.