Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and MP Kalyan Banerjee has launched a fierce counter-attack against the 20 rebel TMC Lok Sabha MPs, branding them as 'traitors' (gaddar) who are desperately hungry for power.
He has also stated that their leader is now Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not Former CM and TMC head Mamata Banerjee. This political showdown marks a historic crisis for the party, following reports that a faction of 20 rebel MPs-led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastida, want to join the Bhartiya Janta Party(BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Kalyan Banerjee Lashes Out at Rebel MPs
In a press conference held today, June 9, Banerjee, along with TMC leader Kirti Azad, asserted that the official communication appointing Banerjee as the Chief Whip was submitted to Speaker Om Birla on May 20, rendering Dastidar's claims completely void. He confidently claimed that the rebel group lacks the actual numbers required to cleanly bypass the provisions of the anti-defection law.
He stated that by attending meetings hosted by the BJP, the rebel MPs have definitively proven that Narendra Modi is their true leader, not Mamata Banerjee.
Resign and Fight Elections Again
Banerjee challenged the rebel MPs to show real courage by resigning their parliamentary seats and seeking a fresh mandate from the voters under a BJP ticket, rather than trying to retain seats won on a TMC mandate. He targeted high-profile rebels like Dr. Sharmila Sarkar and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, accusing them of failing to stand with grassroots workers and staying completely silent during major public controversies like the RG Kar Hospital issue.
TMC vs TMC Conflict: Current Situation
The official Mamata Banerjee-led faction, backed by loyalist leaders such as Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad, and Sougata Roy, has adopted a firm position against the rebels. While the dissident camp continues to project defiance with the slogan 'Mera sar katega lekin jhukega nahi' ('My head may be severed, but it will not bow'), the party leadership is examining legal and parliamentary options to challenge the authenticity of the signatures submitted by the rebel group and prevent their formal recognition by the Lok Sabha Speaker's office.