The internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) appears to be deepening, with buzz growing that Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh may have joined the party's rebel camp - a development that if true, will be the biggest jolt to former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee amid her struggle to keep her party intact after the state election loss.
Ghosh has not publicly confirmed the move. However, people familiar with the matter told HT that she may already have picked a side and is now part of the dissident group, in what is emerging as the All India Trinamool Congress's biggest crisis since its inception.
Also read | Saayoni Ghosh, Mamata Banerjee's fiercest backer, part of 20 TMC MPs' rebel camp?
The development is significant because Ghosh was among the party's most visible faces during the recently concluded West Bengal election campaign, emerging as one of the strongest voices against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a vocal supporter of Mamata Banerjee.
Who is Saayoni Ghosh?
Before entering active politics, Saayoni Ghosh built her career as a Bengali actor, working in films, television and web series.
{{/usCountry}}Before entering active politics, Saayoni Ghosh built her career as a Bengali actor, working in films, television and web series.
{{/usCountry}}She joined the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections and quickly emerged as one of the party's most prominent campaigners because of her fiery speeches against the BJP and her strong public support for Mamata Banerjee.
She also became associated with the phrase “Kaaba” and “Madina” after using the line:“Mere dil mein hai Kaaba, aur mere aankhon mein Madina [Kaaba is in my heart, Madina in my eyes]".
The line was used during an election rally to project communal harmony.
Earlier this month, she was re-appointed as president of the Trinamool Youth Congress, with Madhurima Thakur serving as general secretary.
Rebellion widens within TMC
The reported development comes as the party continues to face back-to-back setbacks from its own leaders.
Last week, 58 of the party's 80 MLAs, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, openly rebelled and staked claim to become the principal Opposition party in West Bengal. Ritabrata Banerjee was subsequently recognised as the Leader of the Opposition by the state assembly speaker.
The political turmoil then extended to Parliament, where MP Kakoli Ghosh claimed that she had the backing of 19 MPs and offered support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). According to the speculation surrounding the rebel camp, Saayoni Ghosh is among those counted in that number.
The party has also witnessed high-profile resignations in recent days. Sushmita Dev resigned as a Rajya Sabha MP and announced that she had quit the TMC, days after Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from the Upper House.
In her resignation letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan, Dev wrote:"I do hereby resign from the membership of Rajya Sabha, which may please be accepted with immediate effect."
Previous controversy involving Raghav Chadha remark
In April, the BJP criticised Saayoni Ghosh after she referred to former Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha's switch to the BJP.
In a video shared by the West Bengal BJP on its official X account, Ghosh was heard saying:"Chaddha can become chaddi, Saayoni cannot",a remark directed at Raghav Chadha.
Defended Abhishek Banerjee after attack
Just days before speculation about her joining the rebel camp surfaced, Saayoni Ghosh publicly condemned the alleged attack on TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to Sonarpur.
In a post on X, she wrote:“The cowardly attack on AITC National General Secretary and Member of Parliament Shri Abhishek Banerjee is a shocking assault on democratic values and political dissent. A PRE-PLANNED attacked by those who stole peoples true verdict. Bengal politics has hit a new low!”
She shared the post while reposting Mamata Banerjee's response on X.