TMC pushed to the brink in LS as veteran MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay joins rebels

The ongoing internal tussle in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) witnessed a major development on Sunday (June 14) when senior MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, a giant in West Bengal politics, formally backed his dissident colleagues from the Lok Sabha, eyeing control of the beleaguered party’s parliamentary wing. He, however, is in favour of retaining Mamata in an advisory role. The veteran even met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Saturday (June 13).

Sudip, a Bengal giant, parachutes in

What is spectacular about the sudden move by Bandyopadhyay, a long-time Mamata loyalist, is that the former might eventually spearhead the rebels’ bloc, replacing Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who has been working as the rebel-in-chief since the TMC’s huge defeat in the Bengal polls last month. It may be noted here that the 77-year-old leader, who has served as an MP six times and an MLA in Bengal four times, was replaced by fellow MP Abhishek Banerjee as the TMC's leader in the Lok Sabha last August.

Also read: As TMC crumbles, what's next for Mamata and the state forces she fought over the years?

Bandyopadhyay’s joining the rebels’ ranks would strengthen their voice ahead of their meeting with Speaker Om Birla on Monday (June 15) to seek recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc. Ghosh Dastridar claimed before leaving Kolkata for New Delhi on Saturday that the number of rebel MPs has now climbed to 22, out of the party’s total of 28 members in the Lower House.

Bandyopadhyay, one of the party's seniormost parliamentarians and for years its principal face in New Delhi, said he had decided to side with the dissidents after being approached by MPs and MLAs who wanted Mamata to continue as a guiding figure of the organisation.

'Their appeal touched me'

"Most MPs and MLAs want the party to continue. It is their initiative. They want Mamata Banerjee to be the chief advisor and continue in a role similar to that of a leader. Their appeal touched me. Therefore, I decided that I can stay with them,” he told a Bengali news channel.

The formulation closely mirrors the arrangement adopted by the rebel bloc in the Bengal assembly, where dissident legislators led by Ritabrata Banerjee have projected Mamata as a mentor-like figure while assuming control of the legislative organisation.

Bandyopadhyay, however, indicated he had not yet signed the petition that the rebels plan to submit before the Speaker, saying he wanted to do so only after personally meeting Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

“Till yesterday afternoon, Suvendu had said he might not be able to come and that I should sign. I told him I would sign only when he comes. We may meet tonight,” he said.

The insistence on a personal meeting with Adhikari added to the political intrigue surrounding the veteran MP's move, coming at a time when anti-Mamata forces in Bengal politics are attempting to consolidate their position after the May 4 election outcome.

Sudip meets Union ministers

The announcement also came a day after Bandyopadhyay’s meeting with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi triggered intense speculation about his political future. On June 8, several of the MPs met at Yadav’s residence, where Adhikari was also present, to chalk out their future course of action.

Accompanied by rebel MP Satabdi Roy, Bandyopadhyay met Yadav at his residence on Saturday, amid hectic consultations among dissident MPs ahead of their meeting with the Speaker.

About meeting Shah, Bandyopadhyay suggested it was far from a routine courtesy call.

“The meeting was initially expected to last seven minutes but stretched for more than an hour, with tea being served after nearly 60 minutes of discussions," he remarked.

Bandyopadhyay also attended a strategy meeting at Yadav's residence on Sunday (June 14).

Also read: TMC’s double coup and Mamata’s silence: Martyrs’ Day will be her last test

Meanwhile, Ghosh Dastidar told reporters at Kolkata airport before leaving for New Delhi, “We are meeting the Speaker tomorrow and will seek recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc.”

Earlier, rebel MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia had claimed that 19 of the TMC's 28 Lok Sabha MPs were already backing the dissident group. With Bandyopadhyay now formally joining the camp and more MPs expected to cross over, the rebels believe they are comfortably above the threshold required to press their claim before the Speaker.

The faction, led by Ghosh Dastidar, has already indicated that once recognised as a separate bloc, it would support the BJP-led NDA government in Parliament.

MPs Saayoni Ghosh and Mala Roy, who landed in Delhi ahead of the rebels' meeting with the speaker, refused to speak to the media at the airport.

Ghosh, who represents Jadavpur constituency, which was held by Mamata in the past, said, "I would answer the people of my constituency, not to you."

Abhishek urges Speaker not to recognise rebel MPs

Meanwhile, the Mamata faction wrote to Birla on Sunday, saying no recognition could be extended to the rebel group of MPs, saying the political party prevails over the Legislature Party.

In the letter, Abhishek, who is also the TMC's parliamentary party chief, wrote: "Treat the AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) as a single political party represented in the House solely through its duly authorised Leader and Whip, and decline to accord any recognition, status, or facility to any purported separate group or faction of the AITC.

"Afford the AITC an opportunity of being heard before any decision is taken on any communication of the nature referred to above, should the same be received."

The letter, dated June 10, was submitted on Sunday by TMC MPs Sagarika Ghose and Kirti Azad at Birla's residence in the capital.

Why Sudip is a key figure

Bandyopadhyay's decision carries significance beyond numbers. One of the party's most experienced parliamentary hands, he has long been regarded as a crucial link between the TMC leadership and Delhi's political establishment.

His decision to join the dissidents while simultaneously invoking Mamata's stature reflects the delicate balancing act being attempted by the breakaway camp – seeking organisational control of the party while continuing to acknowledge the political legacy of the leader who founded it.

Mamata loyalists upset over Sudip

The news of Bandyopadhyay also jumping the ship visibly left Mamata’s remaining loyalists upset. One of the Kunal Ghosh, an MLA and party spokesperson, called Bandyopadhyay a turncoat who betrayed the party despite all the honours that the leadership gave to people like him. He also mocked Bandyopadhyay, whom he has often criticised openly as one who remains indifferent towards the party, over his wig. Mahua Moitra, another pro-Mamata MP, also said that both Bandyopadhyay's mask and wig came off.

His mask & his wig both come off - @SudipBAITC told us he was in Apollo Kolkata with a tummy bug when we suddenly saw him on tv in Delhi in Bhupinder Yadav home. Dada pls change your X handle to @SudipBJPBTeam at least. Dont’ use our name.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 13, 2026

Kunal, it may be mentioned here, was appointed as the president of the TMC’s North Kolkata organisational district, replacing Bandyopadhyay. He accused the latter of weakening the party’s organisation.

The TMC also removed Saayoni and Mala in a key organisational reshuffle.

Arnab Banerjee was appointed president of the Trinamool Youth Congress, replacing Saayoni, while Kaliganj MLA Alifa Ahmed replaced Mala as the president of the party's women's wing.

Also read: What went wrong for Mamata Banerjee and what lies ahead for TMC? | Capital Beat

The party named veteran MP Saugata Roy as chief adviser to its Lok Sabha wing, which now comprises Mamata loyalists.

In Kolkata, too, Mamata’s party was facing a serious turmoil. The battle for the party’s control is also being fought in the Bengal assembly. Last week, 64 of the party’s 80 MLAs broke away and secured recognition as a separate legislative formation from Speaker Rathindra Bose, with Ritabrata being recognised as the Leader of Opposition.

That decision has since been challenged by the Mamata -led faction before the Calcutta High Court.

Bandyopadhyay’s MLA wife Nayna, a former actor, was seen accompanying Mamata during her recent street protest against the Adhikari government’s hawker-eviction drives and post-poll violence allegedly targeting TMC workers across the state. However, she is also likely to join the camp of the rebel MPs.

(With agency inputs)