The Trinamool Congress has been pushed into its deepest crisis yet!
In the first formal split in the party’s 28-year history, 20 of its Lok Sabha MPs have broken away and aligned themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a regional outfit based in Tripura. The rebellion, led by senior parliamentarian Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, has severely weakened Mamata Banerjee’s hold over the party and reduced Trinamool’s strength in the Lok Sabha from 28 MPs to just 8.
The split has also handed a major political advantage to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at a crucial moment ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, reshaping the balance of power in New Delhi and weakening one of the opposition INDIA bloc’s strongest regional pillars. What began as internal unease over leadership and party direction has now developed into a wider political confrontation with national implications.
The development follows months of growing tensions within Trinamool and comes after an earlier rebellion by dozens of MLAs in West Bengal, pointing to a much deeper organisational crisis inside the party. For Mamata Banerjee, the challenge now is no longer just about numbers in Parliament, but about holding together the political structure she built over nearly three decades.
Split Goes Formal
The crisis moved into a decisive phase after the rebel MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi and submitted merger documents under the NCPI banner. The decision to merge into an existing recognised party instead of creating a new bloc was widely seen as a strategic legal step aimed at avoiding disqualification under India’s anti-defection law. Under the Tenth Schedule, lawmakers can avoid losing their seats if at least two-thirds of a parliamentary party merge into another recognised outfit. With 20 MPs out of Trinamool’s 28-member Lok Sabha unit, the dissidents have crossed that line.
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar confirmed the move after the meeting, saying, “We have taken this decision after legal consultation. This was necessary to avoid complications and move forward politically.” Her remarks reinforced the view that the split had been planned for weeks and was built on careful legal groundwork. If recognised by the Speaker, the new bloc would gain separate seating, speaking rights, and parliamentary status.
Kakoli’s Modi Shift
The political shock intensified when Kakoli Ghosh openly declared the faction’s support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA, making it clear that the split was not just internal dissent but a broader political realignment.
That statement marks one of the sharpest reversals by Trinamool MPs in recent years. Leaders elected on an anti-BJP platform are now openly aligning with the ruling alliance at the Centre. The declaration has changed the national significance of the rebellion and handed the BJP both a parliamentary and symbolic victory.
Political analysts say the statement may also encourage further defections, especially if the Speaker grants recognition to the merged bloc.
Old Guard Divides
The rebellion gained greater significance with veteran MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay joining the dissident camp. Sudip has long been one of Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted parliamentary strategists and one of the most senior faces of Trinamool in Delhi. His switch has turned what could have been dismissed as factional anger into a deeper institutional crisis.
Observers say Sudip’s move signals that dissatisfaction inside the party has spread into its old guard. There are already reports that he could become the parliamentary face of the rebel bloc, replacing Kakoli Ghosh and giving the faction stronger credibility.
At the same time, not all senior leaders have abandoned Mamata. Veteran MP Shatrughan Sinha publicly backed her, saying, “I will not leave Didi in difficult times.” His statement highlights that the fight for loyalty inside Trinamool remains active and unresolved.
TMC Strikes Back
The official Trinamool leadership has moved quickly to contain the fallout. Abhishek Banerjee has written to Speaker Om Birla urging him not to recognise the breakaway faction as a separate parliamentary bloc. The move is central to the party’s legal strategy. If the Speaker refuses recognition, Trinamool can seek anti-defection action. If he approves it, the dissidents gain immediate legitimacy.
Mamata Banerjee has reportedly held emergency meetings with senior leaders and initiated internal reshuffles to stop further defections. A senior Trinamool source said, “This is not just an internal disagreement. There is a wider political effort to weaken Trinamool from within.”
The rebels, however, insist they are defending the original ideology of the party and accuse the present leadership of moving away from its founding principles. That has now turned the crisis into a larger battle over who represents the “real” Trinamool.
Mamata’s Biggest Test
For Mamata Banerjee, this is the toughest political crisis of her career. The rebellion comes at a time when Trinamool is still recovering from a weakened performance in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, where internal tensions over leadership, succession, and Abhishek Banerjee’s growing influence had already surfaced.
Political analysts say the split is not just about numbers but about control over the future of the party. For nearly three decades, Mamata Banerjee held Trinamool together through centralised leadership and personal loyalty. This rebellion suggests those foundations are under strain.
The immediate next step now rests with Speaker Om Birla. His decision will determine whether the rebel bloc gains parliamentary legitimacy or faces disqualification. Either way, Trinamool has entered a period of deep uncertainty, and the consequences could reshape both West Bengal politics and the wider national opposition landscape in the months ahead.
