NEW DELHI: At least 20 TMC MPs have submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing their desire to ally with the BJP-led NDA, according to PTI, citing party lawmaker Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Monday.
Rebel Leader Highlights Growing Dissent
This development came after rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee called Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray's resignation from the party and the Upper House a sign of widening dissent against the official leadership. "Ray is a senior leader, and his resignation marks the unity of will among us and a significant section of party leaders who are outside the state Assembly. Kolkata's distance from Delhi is barely 1,435 km, and the number of disillusioned TMC parliamentarians is very likely to go up. That development can happen with each passing hour from now," PTI quoted Ritabrata as saying.
Allegations of Marginalization
"I sat in the last bench in the Parliament for 15 months and witnessed junior leaders and RTI activists being awarded front seats. Parliamentary performance was never the yardstick of judgment. I felt terrible for Sukhenduda, who also was allotted the last bench," he added.
The contrasting scenes in Delhi highlighted the party's internal turmoil: while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the TMC leadership attended the INDIA bloc meeting, a group of dissident MPs reportedly convened at Union Minister Bhupender Yadav's residence.
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