Mamata’s most trusted aide Sudip Bandyopadhyay may join the camp of rebel Trinamool MPs

Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee with party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay. File. | Photo credit: PTI

Six-time Trinamool Congress MP and leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, met Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Bhupendra Yadav on Saturday (June 13, 2026), sparking speculation that the Trinamool Congress MP might join the rebel camp.

Mr. Bandyopadhyay, who has represented the Kolkata Uttar (North) Lok Sabha seat for decades, was accompanied by Birbhum Lok Sabha MP Satabdi Roy, who had already declared her allegiance to the rebel camp.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, 77, who is older than party president Mamata Banerjee, 71, was one of the latter’s most trusted aides. With his possible defection to the rebel camp, the number of MPs supporting the camp will increase to 20.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, 29 Trinamool Congress MPs were elected to the Lok Sabha. Basirhat Trinamool Congress MP Haji Sheikh Nurul Islam died in September 2024, bringing the number of Trinamool MPs to 28. With Mr Bandyopadhyay joining the rebel ranks, the number of Mamata Banerjee loyalists dropped to eight. Among those supporting Mamata Banerjee in Lok Sabha are the prominent names of Kalyan Banerjee, Saugata Roy, Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha, Abhishek Banerjee and others.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s visit to Delhi and meeting with Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav comes days before rebel Trinamool MPs meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and stake a claim as an independent group supporting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. The veteran MP switching political loyalties has drawn strong reactions from political circles.

Mr. Bandyopadhyay’s wife Nayna Bandyopadhyay, who is the MLA from Chowrangee seat, is also likely to join the rebel MLAs. About 60 out of 80 Trinamool Congress MLAs opposed the party high command and supported expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition.

BJP leader and West Bengal Industries Minister Tapas Roy, who quit the Trinamool Congress in 2024 over differences with Sudip Bandyopadhyay, said the Kolkata Uttar MP “will be binding wherever he goes”.

“They were never loyal, not even political elements. They rose in his career by clinging to someone’s support, sometimes sticking to Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and sometimes Mamata Banerjee. They did absolutely nothing, neither for the public nor for any party. Now Mamata Banerjee realizes who really stands by her,” Mr Roy said.

Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh, who remains loyal to the Trinamool president, also spoke in similar vein and launched a scathing attack on senior party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

Mr. Ghosh said Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s move towards the rebel faction comes with his wife Nayna Bandyopadhyay also following the same path and joining those who support the BJP. The Beleghata MLA said that the Trinamool chairperson has given such people important posts and they are turning against her.

Published – 13 Jun 2026 23:03 IST