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🇮🇳 India /Elections & Politics

TMC watches MPs as Mamata Banerjee heads to Delhi amid party crisis

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Trinamool Congress (TMC) is monitoring its Members of Parliament amid concerns of a potential party split following a recent defection of 58 legislators.
  • Senior TMC leaders expressed anxieties about a possible breakaway faction meeting with parliamentary leadership, while the BJP stated its doors are closed to any defectors.
  • The party's national working committee has been reconstituted, with Mamata Banerjee aiming to rally INDIA bloc allies during this period of internal crisis.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is on high alert, watching its Members of Parliament closely as party chairperson Mamata Banerjee travels to Delhi for a crucial INDIA bloc meeting. This comes after a significant blow where 58 of the party's 80 legislators defected, prompting concerns about a potential further split.

When embankments collapse or, a fires break out, everything is destroyed. Nothing is spared. To survive, one has to take precautions.

— Sukhendu Sekhar RoyTMC Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy commenting on the party's situation.

Veteran TMC Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy invoked a metaphor of collapsing embankments and fires, suggesting the need for precautions to survive. Another Lok Sabha MP, Kirti Azad, adopted a more defiant stance, stating those wishing to leave are free to do so, while he remains loyal to Banerjee. Saugata Roy, however, directly accused the BJP of orchestrating "Operation Lotus" to destabilize the TMC Parliamentary party.

Those who want to leave, can leave. I was always with Didi. My stand won’t change.

— Kirti AzadTMC Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad expressing his loyalty.

The party, which holds 29 Lok Sabha and 13 Rajya Sabha seats, is reportedly receiving information that some MPs might approach the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman. Meanwhile, the state BJP president, Samik Bhattacharya, dismissed any involvement, calling the TMC a party "without morals and principles" that is naturally crumbling. He asserted that the BJP's doors are closed to any defectors.

BJP is running Operation Lotus to break the TMC Parliamentary party.

— Saugata RoyTMC Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy accusing the BJP.

This internal turmoil follows the West Bengal Assembly speaker's recognition of 58 rebel TMC legislators as the principal opposition party. In response, the TMC expelled the MLAs who led the move. Banerjee has also reconstituted the party's national working committee, appointing Dola Sen and Derek O’Brien as national joint secretaries, signaling an effort to consolidate power amidst the crisis.

We have received information that some of the MPs may meet the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman on Monday and Tuesday. We are watching the situation.

— senior TMC leaderA senior TMC leader speaking anonymously about monitoring the situation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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