TMC dissent deepens as Sukhendu Ray quits; rebel MLA predicts more exits

The simmering internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) intensified on Monday after rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee described veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray’s resignation from the party and the Upper House as part of a widening wave of dissent against the leadership.

Banerjee, who heads a breakaway faction in the West Bengal Assembly, said Ray’s exit was not an isolated decision but reflected what he called a “unity of will” among dissatisfied leaders within the party.

“Ray is a senior leader, and his resignation marks the unity of will among us and a significant section of party leaders who are outside the state assembly,” Banerjee said. He added that more MPs were likely to distance themselves from the party in the coming days.

The rebel MLA, who has been recognised as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly after securing the backing of 58 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs, claimed he was in touch with several parliamentarians who shared similar grievances.

His remarks came amid contrasting political developments in New Delhi, where TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and senior MPs attended an INDIA bloc meeting, even as reports emerged of a separate gathering of dissident TMC MPs at Union minister Bhupender Yadav’s residence.

Ray was among those present at the meeting, which is being seen as a sign of widening fissures within the party’s parliamentary ranks.

Against this backdrop, Ritabrata Banerjee suggested Ray’s resignation could trigger further realignment within the party’s leadership structure.

He also alleged long-standing dissatisfaction over internal functioning and alleged bias in parliamentary representation.

“I sat in the last bench in Parliament for 15 months and saw junior leaders and RTI activists being given front seats. Parliamentary performance was never the yardstick,” he said.

He further criticised the party’s Rajya Sabha leadership, indirectly targeting TMC MP Derek O’Brien without naming him.

“The seat allocations for MPs are decided by the leader in charge, and in this case it is a quizmaster more focused on managing a football club. Such buffoonery may be permitted in quiz contests, but not in Parliament,” he said.

The reference was to O’Brien’s past as a quizmaster and his association with the Diamond Harbour Football Club, linked to Abhishek Banerjee.

With a senior MP quitting and rebel leaders openly predicting further defections, the internal rift in the TMC appears to be deepening, raising questions about the party’s cohesion in both the West Bengal Assembly and Parliament.

With PTI inputs