The internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) appears to be deepening, with clamor growing over the possibility of Jadavpur MP Sayoni Ghosh joining the party’s rebel camp – a development which, if true, will be the biggest jolt for former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee amid her struggle to keep her party intact after losing the state elections.
Ghosh has not confirmed the move publicly. However, people familiar with the matter told HT that she may have already chosen a side and is now part of the splinter group, in what has emerged as the biggest crisis faced by the All India Trinamool Congress since its inception.
Read also | Sayoni Ghosh, Mamata Banerjee’s staunchest supporter, and part of the TMC’s 20 rebel camp?
This development is significant as Ghosh was among the party’s most visible faces during the recently concluded election campaign in West Bengal, where he emerged as one of the strongest voices against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a staunch supporter of Mamata Banerjee.
Who is Sayoni Ghosh?
Before entering active politics, Sayoni Ghosh built her career as a Bengali actress, working in films, TV and web series.
She joined the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections and quickly emerged as one of the party’s most prominent activists due to her fiery speeches against the BJP and her strong grassroots support for Mamata Banerjee.
Read also | ‘Bengali politics has reached a new low’: Sayoni Ghosh slams ‘shocking attack’ on Abhishek Banerjee, calls it pre-planned
It also became associated with the phrase “Kaaba” and “Medina” after the line: “Mere dil mein hai Kaaba, aur mere aankhon mein Madina.” [Kaaba is in my heart, Madina in my eyes]”.
The line was used during an election rally to show communal harmony.
Earlier this month, she was re-appointed president of the Trinamool Youth Congress, while Madhurima Thakur is general secretary.
The rebellion within the Transitional Military Council expands
This reported development comes as the party continues to face successive setbacks from its leaders.
Last week, 58 of the party’s 80 members, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, openly rebelled and announced that they would become the main opposition party in West Bengal. Ritabrata Banerjee was later recognized as the Leader of the Opposition by the Speaker of the State Assembly.
The political turmoil then spread to Parliament, where MP Kakoli Ghosh claimed to have the support of 19 MPs and offered support to the National Democratic Alliance. According to speculation surrounding the rebel camp, Sayoni Ghosh is among those counted in this number.
The party has also seen high-profile resignations in recent days. Sushmita Dev has resigned from the post of Rajya Sabha MP and announced that she has resigned from the TMC, days after Sukhendu Sekhar Rai resigned from the Senate.
In her resignation letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, Dev wrote: “I hereby resign from the membership of the Rajya Sabha, which may be accepted with immediate effect.”
Previous controversy related to Raghav Chadha’s statements
In April, the BJP criticized Sayoni Ghosh after she suggested former Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha was switching to the BJP.
In a video shared by the West Bengal BJP on its official X account, Ghosh is heard saying, “Chadha can become Chadha, Sayoni cannot,” a remark directed at Raghav Chadha.
He defended Abhishek Banerjee after the attack
A few days before speculation emerged about her joining the rebel camp, Saioni Ghosh had publicly condemned the alleged attack on TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to Sonarpur.
In a post on X, she wrote: “The cowardly attack on AITC National General Secretary and Member of Parliament Shri Abhishek Banerjee is a horrific assault on democratic values and political opposition. A pre-planned attack by those who have stolen the real rule of the people. Bengali politics has reached a new low!”
I shared the post while reposting Mamata Banerjee’s response to X.
