As Mamata Banerjee is still reeling from a setback in the West Bengal assembly and its first split in its 28-year history, it has been reported that around half the MPs of Trinamool Congress may switch over to the BJP.
Citing sources, NDTV reported that at least 20 MPs are involved in top level discussions as they mull changing allegience. These MPs are reportedly from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The TMC has 28 MPs in Lok Sabha and 13 in Rajya Sabha, taking the total to 41. If 20 of them switch their loyalties, the Trinamool's strength in the Parliament will be reduced by half. Currently, the TMC has the highest number of MPs in the Opposition bloc after the Congress.
The report comes a day after BJP IT department head Amit Malviya posted on X, "Mamata Banerjee has lost control of her legislative party. This is only the beginning."
Earlier, West Bengal Speaker Rathindra Bose accepted Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of TMC legislature party, giving him the Leader of Opposition status in the assembly. He received backing of 58 of the 80 MLAs in the TMC.
The TMC leadership has dissolved all party committees and frontal organisations in the state in a bid to regain political control.
Meanwhile, there are also reports that Trinamool MPs are gearing up for a no-confidence motion against Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the leader of TMC's parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha. There is no official confirmation regarding this development.
The rebellion within the TMC will now see a tussle between two competing power centres, with the Mamata loyalists controlling the party symbol and funds and the Ritabrata supporters claiming legitimacy through legislative numbers.
