Rebel TMC MPs side with BJP, says Kalyan Banerjee

All India Trinamool Congress leaders Kalyan Banerjee (L), Chief Whip of AITC in Lok Sabha, with Kirti Azad, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha at a press conference in New Delhi on June 9, 2026. | Photo credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

A day after 20 Lok Sabha members from the Trinamool Congress rebelled against the party leadership, Mamata Banerjee loyalists on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) launched a scathing attack on the rebel MPs who claimed to be with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Trinamool MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Kirti Azad said “today their (rebel MPs) leader is Narendra Modi. They have become BJP.”

Mr Kalyan, who is also the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, said leaders can leave the party but urged them to “stop writing Trinamool leader/MP next to their name”.

Several Trinamool MPs met Union minister and West Bengal BJP observer Bhupendra Yadav at his residence on Monday and said they are forming a separate Trinamool bloc to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

“If you are so honest, why don’t you publish it? Why don’t you have the courage to give the letter to the press?” asked Mr. Kalyan, alleging that the entire exercise lacked transparency.

‘Questions about the letter’

He questioned the authenticity of the letter and said such an important document was not publicly available.

Mr Kalyan and Mr Azad also accused the rebel MPs of lacking political morals, maintaining ties with the BJP and abandoning party workers at a time when they were allegedly facing harassment and political attacks.

“Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has resigned from the Rajya Sabha after making allegations against our party. Those who are making allegations against the party must follow the path of Sukhendu and show political morality by resigning as MPs,” Kalyan said.

The Trinamool rebellion began last week with the party’s 58 MLAs electing a new Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly on June 3. Almost a week after the uprising, Lok Sabha MPs launched a revolt against the party leadership.

Barasat Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar is emerging as the leader of the rebel bloc and has come forward to support the Trinamool rebel camp.

Referring to the arrest of Trinamool Congress leader Sabyasachi Dutta on Tuesday, Mr. Kalyan said that Ms. Dastidar was targeting the Trinamool leader with the help of the BJP. “Kakoli Ghosh immediately took over security from the state and central government and is now targeting Trinamool leaders in her constituency with the help of the BJP.”

Ms. Dutta and Ms. Dastidar were considered political rivals.

The leaders slammed the CID search

Meanwhile, several leaders who are believed to be loyal to Ms. Banerjee have criticized the CID search at the party president’s residence. Mr. Kalyan went to Ms. Banerjee’s residence and raised questions about the raid. Another Trinamool MP Sagarika Ghose took to social media and said the CID did not find anything during the raids.

Trinamool Ghatal MP and popular Bengali actor Dev alias Dipak Adhikari said he will stick with Mamata Banerjee and not support the rival camp.

“I will not go to the new Trinamool. My love for Ms. Banerjee will remain throughout my life. I will not go to the new Trinamool. As long as Ms. Banerjee is alive, I will be with her,” he said after attending an administrative meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Published – June 9, 2026 12:20 PM IST