The process of leaders leaving the party from Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) continues. According to news agency IANS, an angry faction of TMC led by Kakoli Ghosh has released a list of 19 MPs. The list includes Jadavpur MP and Mamata’s close aide Sayani Ghosh as well as Yusuf Pathan and Shatrughan Sinha.
On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from both the party and her post; Chairman CP Radhakrishnan has accepted his resignation. In the last three days, two Rajya Sabha MPs from Trinamool Congress (TMC) have left the party. Earlier, on June 8, Sukhendu Shekhar had resigned from the Rajya Sabha and left the party.
A total of 22 MPs have left the party – 20 of the 28 Lok Sabha MPs and 2 of the 13 Rajya Sabha MPs. On June 3, 58 out of 80 MLAs from Bengal formed a separate faction. He submitted a letter to the Speaker proposing the name of Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of opposition in the Assembly. Ritabrata said on Wednesday that he has the support of 64 MLAs and the remaining six MLAs will also submit the letter to the Speaker.
Question: You have left TMC party; What is the reason behind this?
Answer: I can only say my point. I have resigned from the membership of TMC. The party itself had given me the Rajya Sabha seat. Now that I am leaving the party, I should also leave the Rajya Sabha seat. I have some personal and political reasons for doing this.
Question: Are there chances of more resignations from TMC in the near future?
Answer: I don’t know what others are doing or intend to do. I am not directly involved in Bengal politics; I am from Assam.
Question: Did you meet Himanta Biswa Sarma? What would you like to say about this?
Answer: Look, I am free now. I have had good relations with Himantji since my days in Congress. It was just a formal meeting. Question: Are you going to join BJP now?
Answer: Look, I will rest for a few days. Tomorrow I am going to Assam to meet my sisters and my mother. Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi
Meanwhile, Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. A day before, Mamta had met Sonia Gandhi. After the meeting, Mamta has now returned to Kolkata.
June 8: 20 out of 28 Lok Sabha MPs of TMC formed a separate faction.
On June 8, 20 of TMC’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs decided to support the NDA government. MP and former TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said that a letter signed by the MPs was sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The letter also requested the formation of a separate parliamentary group.
June 3: Revolt in TMC; 58 MLAs seceded
The news of rebellion in TMC first came on June 3. The 58 rebel MLAs chose Ratabrata Banerjee – an MLA who was earlier expelled from the party – as their leader. He submitted a letter of support to Assembly Speaker Rathendra Bose and demanded that Ratabrata be declared the leader of the opposition. The Chairman approved.
Now only 22 MLAs and 19 MPs are left with Mamta.
TMC had a total of 28 Lok Sabha MPs, out of which 20 MPs have defected; Mamta now has only 8 MPs left in the Lok Sabha. Talking about Rajya Sabha, two out of 13 MPs have resigned, due to which now only 11 MPs are left. Talking about the Assembly, TMC had won 80 seats in the recent elections; Out of which 58 MLAs have formed a separate group, leaving Mamata with only 22 MLAs.
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday. According to sources, there was discussion on strengthening relations between the two parties.
Mamta Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday. Mamta reached Sonia’s residence 10 Janpath. The meeting between the two leaders lasted for about an hour.
Mamata and Abhishek also attended the India Bloc meeting held on June 8 – the first such meeting in almost two years. Twenty-five opposition parties participated in that meeting.
