New Delhi, June 14, 2026: : The Trinamool Congress appeared headed for an unprecedented split on Sunday after rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that two more parliamentarians had joined the dissident camp, taking its strength in the Lok Sabha to 22 and pushing the Mamata Banerjee-led party into a full-blown crisis.
The TMC, the third-largest party in the Lok Sabha with 28 MPs, could face a major setback if the rebels formally break away. With the support of 22 MPs, the dissident faction would comfortably cross the two-thirds threshold required to escape disqualification under the anti-defection law.
“We are going to Delhi for a meeting. Twenty-two MPs are with us. The Speaker has given us time. We will meet him on Monday and seek recognition as a separate bloc,” Dastidar told PTI.
She said the group had been in touch with MPs who had raised concerns over the state of affairs in West Bengal over the past several years. “Those who honestly voiced their opinions against the situation prevailing in West Bengal over the last four to five years have been in touch with us. Our number is now 22,” she said.
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Adding to the political intrigue, several rebel TMC MPs — including Saayoni Ghosh, Mala Roy, Satabdi Roy, Arup Chakraborty and Dastidar herself — were seen at Union minister Bhupender Yadav’s residence, triggering fresh speculation over the BJP’s possible role in the unfolding rebellion.
In Kolkata, senior TMC leaders Gautam Deb and Chandrima Bhattacharya met Mamata Banerjee at her residence as the party leadership worked to contain the damage.
#TMC split deepens: Rebel #TMCMP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has claimed support of 22 MPs for a breakaway group. The MPs are set to meet Speaker #OmBirla, in a move that might reshape dynamics in #LokSabha. #Mamatabanerjee https://t.co/OGDx1ZaQKG
— Salar News (@EnglishSalar) June 14, 2026
The discontent within the party has intensified since the West Bengal Assembly elections, exposing growing fault lines in the TMC’s parliamentary ranks. Earlier this week, Dastidar had claimed that nearly 20 TMC MPs were prepared to back the BJP-led NDA. The crisis deepened on Friday after a document bearing the signatures of 19 TMC MPs surfaced, indicating support for the rebel camp.
Speculation gathered further pace after senior TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay met Bhupender Yadav on Saturday.
According to reports, the rebel MPs have written to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary group under Dastidar’s leadership. However, the Speaker’s secretariat has yet to confirm whether the request has been formally received or is under consideration.
