Kolkata: The camp of rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs swelled to 20 on Saturday after veteran Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay took a morning flight to Delhi and first met Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav at his residence, followed by a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah later in the day.
Sudip's late flip indicates that his wife and Chowringhee MLA, Nayna Bandopadhyay, is set to replicate his move in the West Bengal assembly. The rebel bloc is likely to huddle over dinner on Sunday and meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to stake claim as the "real Trinamool Congress" with a request to be considered part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Bengal's Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, is also reaching Delhi on Sunday.
Sudip's last-minute switch pushed TMC towards an even graver crisis since he, till Friday, was privy to the counter-strategy being chalked out by party chief Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. As soon as Sudip was spotted hopping into a car with rebel MP Satabdi Roy at New Delhi airport, party seniors including Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O'Brien, Saugata Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, and MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay rushed to Mamata's Kalighat residence.
Adding to TMC's woes, party veteran Manas Bhunia WhatsApp-ed his resignation from the party to Mamata late on Saturday.
Advocate-MP Kalyan Banerjee indicated that TMC has no immediate legal recourse to stem the hemorrhage until Speaker Birla takes a decision on the rebel group's claim. Both Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy have said their bloc intends to back the NDA. Satabdi, who accompanied Sudip to meet Yadav, refused to speak to the media. Sudip and his wife Nayna did not respond to calls.
With Sudip joining the rebel bloc, he is tipped to head the rebel camp in place of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. Several rebel MPs are reluctant to accept Kakoli's leadership, sources said. Sudip is a six-time MP and the seniormost among the dissidents.
As the developments unfolded in Delhi, Maniktala BJP MLA and minister Tapas Roy did not mince words. "He (Sudip) rose in his career by clinging to someone or the other for support, sometimes it was Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and at other times Mamata Banerjee. They have done absolutely nothing, neither for the public nor for any party. Now Mamata Banerjee is realizing the reality of the people because of whom she has reached this state today. For the sake of these individuals, she insulted, disrespected, and demeaned many true political workers. Therefore, whatever is happening is for the best, and I am very happy."
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh's response was on similar lines. "What can I say? I was the one who wanted to retain Sajal Ghosh (MLA) and Tapas-da in TMC. I was suspended for it (speaking out against Sudip). Despite knowing him (Sudip's history of past defections), Mamata Banerjee placed her trust in him. And again, she has been betrayed. This is great marketing by BJP — buy 1 get 1 free. I just have one question: Can these people (the rebels) win any election on their own, without help from Mamata Banerjee and TMC? Sudip is known for his flips, but for some reason Didi trusted him over those who are much better and more committed."
Rebel bloc member and Burdwan East MP Sharmila Sarkar told TOI that all TMC MPs would slowly join their camp, adding that when more than two-thirds of a party leaves, "you have to understand there was a problem."
Murshidabad MP Abu Taher Khan told reporters that neither he nor Jangipur MP Khalilur Rehman would ever join BJP. "We will extend issue-based support to NDA," he claimed.
Former TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale claimed that dissident TMC MPs seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary group would face disqualification if they backed the BJP-led NDA. He asserted that the anti-defection law offered no legal protection for a "split." In a post on X, Gokhale accused the rebel MPs of failing to understand the legal position and alleged that they were attempting to transfer the mandate received on a TMC ticket to the BJP.
"The TMC traitor MPs have been so excited by the crores given by the BJP that they haven't bothered to read the law," he said. Gokhale noted that the Constitution's 91st Amendment removed provisions relating to a split and argued that forming a separate parliamentary group enjoyed "zero protection under the law." "The 'split' attempt is dead," he said.
