As many as 13 Trinamool Congress MPs, led by Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, met West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari at a BJP minister's residence on Monday, a move that comes amid growing speculation of a split in the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
These MPs also plan to write a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, requesting that they be allotted seats as a separate faction. Track INDIA bloc meeting LIVE updates
The names among the legislators who met Adhikari include:
- Arup Chakraborty
- Bapi Haldar
- Jagadish Basunia
- Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar
- Prasun Banerjee
- Sharmila Sarkar
- Partha Bhowmick
- Asit Mal
- Mitali Bag
- Shatabdi Roy
- Pratima Mondal
Notably, except for Sukhendu Sekhar Ray – a Rajya Sabha member – the other names are of Lok Sabha MPs.
If there is a rebellion within the Trinamool Congress, then the rebel legislators would require a 2/3rd majority -- 19 seats -- in the Lok Sabha to avoid expulsion under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar told PTI on Monday that around 20 TMC MPs, including herself, have decided to lend support to the BJP-led NDA alliance.
Sukhendu Ray quits TMC
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar told PTI on Monday that around 20 TMC MPs, including herself, have decided to lend support to the BJP-led NDA alliance.
Sukhendu Ray quits TMC
{{/usCountry}}Just earlier in the day, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from the Rajya Sabha and quit the Trinamool Congress, alleging that the Mamata Banerjee-led government was marred by corruption and atrocities against women.
He later also said that since he demanded an internal inquiry into the role of police officers in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case, he had been "increasingly isolated" within the party.
"My only fault was that I demanded an internal inquiry against certain police officers because I believed they had a major role in destruction of evidence. That was the turning point. I realised I would not remain in the party for long," he told reporters.