TMC Crisis Deepens? Kakoli Claims Dissident Camp Strength Rises From 20 To 22 MPs

TMC's rebellion deepened as rebel MPs met Union Minister Bhupender Yadav in Delhi. Dissident leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed support of 22 Lok Sabha MPs and plans to seek separate bloc status.

Dissident leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed support of 22 Lok Sabha MPs and plans to seek separate bloc status.

Source : IANS

Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Sunday claimed that two more parliamentarians were set to join the dissident camp, taking its strength in the Lok Sabha to 22. Speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport before departing for New Delhi, Ghosh Dastidar said the rebel MPs would meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to seek recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc.

“We are going to Delhi for a meeting. Twenty-two MPs are now with us. The Speaker has given us an appointment, and we will meet him on Monday to seek recognition as a separate bloc,” she said.

While declining to identify the two additional MPs, Ghosh Dastidar said their names would be disclosed once they formally joined the faction.

“Those who have honestly spoken out against the situation prevailing in West Bengal over the last four to five years have been in touch with us. Our strength has now reached 22,” she said.

Her remarks come amid a deepening crisis within the Trinamool Congress, with a growing number of MPs rallying behind the dissident group and challenging the party leadership.

Rebel MPs Meet Bhupender Yadav In Delhi

TMC rebel MPs Prasun Banerjee, Mala Roy, Satabdi Roy, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Arup Chakraborty, Kakoli Ghosh and Sayoni Ghosh met Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at his Delhi residence. During the meeting, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey is also present. The rebel MPs are also likely to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari later in the day, PTI reported.

#WATCH | Delhi: Rebel TMC MPs Arup Chakraborty and Kakoli Ghosh arrive at the residence of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/bagNHID2se

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2026

#WATCH | Delhi: Rebel TMC MPs Mala Roy and Satabdi Roy arrive at the residence of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/bNTfM63Q0T

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2026

Speaking briefly at Delhi airport, both Roy and Ghosh declined to comment on the ongoing political developments. “I will answer the people of my constituency, not you,” Ghosh told reporters.

This came a day after senior TMC leader and veteran parliamentarian Sudip Bandyopadhyay, long considered one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest confidants, joined the rebel camp following meetings with Union Ministers Amit Shah and Bhupender Yadav in Delhi.

TMC Split Deepens

The split within the TMC's Lok Sabha contingent came into the open earlier this week, as a group of dissident MPs publicly distanced themselves from the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.

On Monday, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that around 20 TMC MPs were backing the rebel camp and indicated that the group was prepared to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

The rebellion appeared to gather momentum on Friday when a document bearing the signatures of 19 TMC MPs surfaced. Among those listed were Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Satabdi Roy, Bapi Haldar, Sharmila Sarkar, Prasun Banerjee, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Asit Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Deepak Adhikari (Dev), June Maliah, Partha Bhowmick, Khalilur Rahaman, Abu Taher Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag and Mala Roy.

Separate signatures of Rachana Banerjee and Saayoni Ghosh also appeared on the document.

According to sources, the MPs have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc under the leadership of Ghosh Dastidar. However, there has been no official confirmation from the Speaker's Secretariat on whether the letter has been received.