Once the undisputed political powerhouse in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing one of the biggest crises in its history. A series of defections, open rebellion by a section of party MPs and growing questions over former chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s leadership have plunged the party into uncertainty. As the cracks widen, the key question is: What does the future hold for the TMC?
The political crisis escalated in June after 19 Trinamool MPs announced their decision to break away from the Mamata Banerjee-led party and form a separate faction. The move represents the biggest revolt within the TMC since its inception and has raised new questions about the future of the party after its electoral setback in West Bengal.
The rebel MPs submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking official recognition of the dissident faction. The signatories include Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sattabi Roy, Bappi Haldar, Sharmila Sarkar, Prasoon Bandyopadhyay, Jagadish Parma Basonia, Asit Kumar Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Rachna Banerjee, Sayuni Ghosh, Khalilur Rehman, Abu Tahir Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag, Mala Roy, Kalipada Soren and Deepak. Adhikari, John Mallya and Partha Bhowmick had reported earlier.
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The unrest was not limited to the Lok Sabha. The TMC’s strength in the Rajya Sabha also shrunk from 13 to 10 after Sukhendu Sekhar Rai, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Shek Barak resigned from the Senate and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, eroding the party’s parliamentary presence.
These developments have fueled speculation about the TMC’s organizational strength and political future, as the party now faces an internal revolution and a diminished presence in Parliament. Here’s a look at what sparked the crisis, who the key players are and what it could mean for West Bengal politics.
Who is still in TMC?
As the TMC’s tally declined, many loyalists continued to support Mamata Banerjee as party leader. Among these names are Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of the supreme leader; Key leaders like Derek O’Brien, Dhola Sen, Subhandeep Chattopadhyay, Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad and Kalyan Banerjee; and local leaders like Baishanar Chattopadhyay.
Chattopadhyay works as a senior leader and party advisor at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
Besides Chattopadhyay, several TMC leaders have also been arrested and imprisoned, but they still enjoy significant influence in their areas.
Among these names is Jahangir Khan, who was arrested in several cases, including extortion. Khan remains an influential figure in the party, with many supporters demanding his release across Valta.
The protest led by Khan’s wife also made headlines after police and CRPF personnel dispersed the demonstration in South 24 Parganas district.
