TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay aligns with rebel faction, backs advisory role for Mamata

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Sudip Bandyopadhyay has joined a dissident faction aiming to gain control over the party's parliamentary wing. This faction supports retaining Mamata Banerjee in an advisory capacity, a move that mirrors a similar proposal within the West Bengal assembly. The rebels intend to formally seek recognition as a distinct bloc within the party structure.

These internal shifts occur amidst broader changes initiated by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, who has restructured the party's youth and women's wings. Notably, Saayoni Ghosh has been removed as the youth wing president, and Mala Roy has been replaced as the women's wing president. These personnel changes coincide with reports of TMC MPs forming a breakaway faction.

Further complicating the internal landscape, West Bengal Cabinet Minister Gouri Shankar Ghosh has leveled serious accusations against TMC MPs and MLAs, alleging systemic corruption, including the widespread sale of government jobs. Ghosh expressed confidence that central investigative agencies such as the CID, ED, and CBI would soon hold the top TMC leadership accountable for these alleged fraudulent activities.

In a significant move, a group of dissident TMC MPs has announced their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party. They have formally requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for separate seating arrangements within the Parliament. These MPs claim that two-thirds of the TMC's Lok Sabha members are in support of their actions and plan to fully merge with the regional party. They have also indicated that a court will ultimately decide the status of the 'real TMC'.

Adding to the narrative of internal discord, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Manan Kumar Mishra alleged that TMC leaders feel pressured and "devastated" by Mamata Banerjee's leadership style, which he characterized as a "reign of terror." This statement from an opposition figure underscores the reported internal divisions within the TMC, as evidenced by the group of MPs seeking separate seating in the Lok Sabha.