TMC Turmoil deepens: Unrest within the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) following its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections seems to be growing wider after senior BJP leader Saumitra
Khan claimed that around 20 MPs from the All India Trinamool Congress were in touch with the BJP and willing to switch sides if the party leadership approved.
“If the BJP central leadership says it once, TMC will not remain a party anymore. Everyone is ready to come. Around 50 MLAs are unhappy with the party and 20 MPs are ready to join,” he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
At present, the TMC has 29 Lok Sabha MPs from West Bengal, while the BJP has 12 and the Congress has one.
The BJP leader also launched a sharp attack on Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, calling him a “sinner” and saying that “sinners have to go to jail”.
Under the anti-defection law, at least two-thirds of the members of a parliamentary party need to switch sides together to avoid disqualification. In the TMC’s case, with 29 MPs in the Lok Sabha, the number works out to around 19 or 20.
Rejecting the BJP leader’s claims, senior TMC MP Sougata Roy called the allegations “absolutely bogus.”
“It is absolutely bogus what the BJP and Soumitra Khan are feeding to reporters. Nothing of this sort will happen,” Roy said.
The speculation comes at a time when discontent within the TMC has become increasingly visible. Several party MPs, MLAs and local leaders have publicly expressed dissatisfaction in recent weeks.
The unease has also coincided with a wave of resignations from civic bodies across West Bengal. More than 100 councillors have reportedly resigned from different municipalities in recent days.
The biggest setback came in Bhatpara, where 30 out of 35 councillors, including municipality chairperson Reba Raha, resigned. Similar resignations were reported from Halisahar, Kanchrapara, Garulia, North Barrackpore and Contai.
In Diamond Harbour, considered a stronghold of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, eight councillors resigned, alleging that elected representatives had little authority in running the civic body.
Ahead of the 2021 assembly elections, several prominent TMC leaders had switched to the BJP, only to return after the Mamata Banerjee-led party retained power.
But the equations this time are different, with the BJP now in power in Bengal after ending the TMC’s 15-year rule.
The speculation also comes at a time when signs of unease within the TMC have become increasingly visible, with several legislators, MPs and leaders publicly expressing discontent in recent weeks.
(With inputs from agencies)
