Sukhendu Ray quits Trinamool; 20 party MPs meet Suvendu in new trouble for Mamata
As Mamata Banerjee seeks to retain her bargaining power at the INDIA bloc meeting today, her leverage appears to be rapidly diminishing following the resignation of the party's Rajya Sabha chief whip, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, and his subsequent meeting with several TMC MPs.
After Mamata Banerjee lost her grip over the Trinamool Congress's MLAs, a second wave of setbacks has now hit the party's parliamentary ranks, with Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, the TMC's longest-serving member in the Rajya Sabha for over a decade, resigning both as an MP and from the party.
In a development reminiscent of last week's split in the Bengal Assembly, the Trinamool Congress's parliamentary wing also appeared to be heading in a similar direction, with at least five party MPs seen alongside Sukhendu shortly after his resignation in a photograph exclusively accessed by India Today.
Sources revealed that 20 of the TMC's 29 Lok Sabha MPs later met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who reached Delhi on Monday as the political crisis within the Trinamool Congress spilled over into the national capital.
In his resignation letter to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Sukhendu said the people of Bengal had "rejected the party's rampant corruption, extreme oppression of women, and its utter failure and the severe anarchy prevailing across sectors, including education, healthcare, industry, employment, and law and order."
Praising BJP, Sukhendu further wrote: "The voters have, for the first time in Bengal’s history, given the Bharatiya Janata Party a massive victory in terms of seats. The newly elected government has already begun working to implement multiple programmes for Bengal’s overall development and reconstruction, in line with its election promises."
The veteran TMC leader shot the letter to Mamata as she is in Delhi, desperately trying to stitch together an INDIA bloc after the recent drubbing in the Assembly polls.
THE RIFT IN MAMATA BANERJEE'S TMC
Following the TMC's poll debacle, the party founded by Mamata Banerjee has effectively split into two camps, with rival faction leader Ritabrata Banerjee becoming the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly after claiming the support of 61 of the party's 80 MLAs.
As Mamata seeks to retain her bargaining power at the INDIA bloc meeting today, her leverage appears to be rapidly diminishing following the resignation of the party's chief whip in the Rajya Sabha. Adding to her troubles, as many as 20 TMC MPs are said to be in touch with the rebel faction. Sources told India Today that after the split in the legislative wing, the party's parliamentary wing could be headed for a similar rupture.
Sources also revealed that a section of Lok Sabha MPs is actively exploring the possibility of creating a breakaway group, with more than a dozen MPs already said to be in favour of such a move. A senior MP is reportedly leading the emerging dissident faction, although discussions are still understood to be at a fluid stage.
'TIRED OF THE CORRUPTION'
Speaking to TVTN in an exclusive interview, Bardhaman Purba MP, Sharmila Sarkar claimed that a group of 20 MPs had broken away to form a separate bloc and had informed the Chief Minister about the development.
"We met the Chief Minister today. We have 20 MPs with us and have formed a separate bloc under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as Chief Whip and Satabdi Roy as Deputy Leader," Sarkar said.
Explaining her decision, Sarkar alleged that she was disillusioned with the functioning of the Trinamool Congress. "I want to be part of development. I am tired of the corruption under the TMC," she said.
The numbers have further fuelled speculation over a possible formal split. The TMC currently has 28 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while at least 22 MPs are required under anti-defection law provisions for recognition as a separate group in the House. In the Rajya Sabha, the party has 13 members, where the threshold for recognition stands at nine MPs.
After Mamata Banerjee lost her grip over the Trinamool Congress's MLAs, a second wave of setbacks has now hit the party's parliamentary ranks, with Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, the TMC's longest-serving member in the Rajya Sabha for over a decade, resigning both as an MP and from the party.
In a development reminiscent of last week's split in the Bengal Assembly, the Trinamool Congress's parliamentary wing also appeared to be heading in a similar direction, with at least five party MPs seen alongside Sukhendu shortly after his resignation in a photograph exclusively accessed by India Today.
Sources revealed that 20 of the TMC's 29 Lok Sabha MPs later met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who reached Delhi on Monday as the political crisis within the Trinamool Congress spilled over into the national capital.
In his resignation letter to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Sukhendu said the people of Bengal had "rejected the party's rampant corruption, extreme oppression of women, and its utter failure and the severe anarchy prevailing across sectors, including education, healthcare, industry, employment, and law and order."
Praising BJP, Sukhendu further wrote: "The voters have, for the first time in Bengal’s history, given the Bharatiya Janata Party a massive victory in terms of seats. The newly elected government has already begun working to implement multiple programmes for Bengal’s overall development and reconstruction, in line with its election promises."
The veteran TMC leader shot the letter to Mamata as she is in Delhi, desperately trying to stitch together an INDIA bloc after the recent drubbing in the Assembly polls.
THE RIFT IN MAMATA BANERJEE'S TMC
Following the TMC's poll debacle, the party founded by Mamata Banerjee has effectively split into two camps, with rival faction leader Ritabrata Banerjee becoming the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly after claiming the support of 61 of the party's 80 MLAs.
As Mamata seeks to retain her bargaining power at the INDIA bloc meeting today, her leverage appears to be rapidly diminishing following the resignation of the party's chief whip in the Rajya Sabha. Adding to her troubles, as many as 20 TMC MPs are said to be in touch with the rebel faction. Sources told India Today that after the split in the legislative wing, the party's parliamentary wing could be headed for a similar rupture.
Sources also revealed that a section of Lok Sabha MPs is actively exploring the possibility of creating a breakaway group, with more than a dozen MPs already said to be in favour of such a move. A senior MP is reportedly leading the emerging dissident faction, although discussions are still understood to be at a fluid stage.
'TIRED OF THE CORRUPTION'
Speaking to TVTN in an exclusive interview, Bardhaman Purba MP, Sharmila Sarkar claimed that a group of 20 MPs had broken away to form a separate bloc and had informed the Chief Minister about the development.
"We met the Chief Minister today. We have 20 MPs with us and have formed a separate bloc under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as Chief Whip and Satabdi Roy as Deputy Leader," Sarkar said.
Explaining her decision, Sarkar alleged that she was disillusioned with the functioning of the Trinamool Congress. "I want to be part of development. I am tired of the corruption under the TMC," she said.
The numbers have further fuelled speculation over a possible formal split. The TMC currently has 28 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while at least 22 MPs are required under anti-defection law provisions for recognition as a separate group in the House. In the Rajya Sabha, the party has 13 members, where the threshold for recognition stands at nine MPs.
