West Bengal’s political landscape is currently in the midst of an unprecedented crisis as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) faces its most severe internal turmoil in recent years. Former West Bengal Minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia has resigned from the party on Sunday morning, sending his resignation letter to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, marking yet another high-profile exit amid intensifying rifts within the organisation.

This resignation on June 14 comes as the party battles a growing wave of defections, legal challenges, enforcement agency raids and multiple organisational reshuffles that threaten to destabilise Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. Two blocs have formed, with 20 ‘rebel’ MPs pushing to form a separate parliamentary party faction of the TMC.

Mamata Banerjee reshuffles TMC’s Youth and Women Wings: Saayoni Ghosh and Mala Roy removal

Barely a week after Mamata Banerjee reappointed lawmaker Saayoni Ghosh as the TMC’s youth wing president as part of a major structural overhaul to tighten her grip over the organisation, the party chief has removed the Jadavpur Member of Parliament (MP) from the position and replaced her with Arnab Banerjee, a youth leader, party sources said news agency PTI. The party also replaced Kolkata Dakshin MP Mala Roy with Alifa Ahmed, TMC MLA from Kaliganj in Nadia district, as the president of its women’s wing, the Trinamool Mahila Congress.

Both Ghosh and Roy are perceived to have joined the band of TMC’s rebel MPs in Lok Sabha amid major turmoil currently rocking the party. The dissidents stated they will meet Speaker Om Birla on Monday (June 15) with a letter to seek recognition as the ‘real TMC,’ following the party’s electoral drubbing in the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026.

ALSO READ

“These replacement decisions were already taken at a party meeting held three days ago,” a senior Rajya Sabha MP of the TMC said PTI, asking not to be named. “Mamata didi doodh kola diye shaap pushechhilo (Mamata didi had nurtured people with milk and honey, but they turned out to be snakes),” he added, referring to all 20 dissenting party MPs in the Lok Sabha.

Ex-Bengal minister Manas Bhunia quits TMC

Manas Ranjan Bhunia, a former TMC minister, confirmed his departure from the party in a media statement today. “I sent my resignation letter to Mamata Banerjee and requested her to kindly accept my resignation from the primary membership of the party,” he said. His exit adds to a string of resignations that have rocked the TMC following the party’s underwhelming performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly polls, which reportedly triggered a widening rift between party veterans and the central leadership headed by Banerjee.

This resignation comes at a critical moment as the TMC faces its most severe internal crisis in recent years, with multiple high-profile exits and growing dissent within the party. Bhunia’s departure today underscores the deepening turmoil that has already seen 20 Lok Sabha MPs seek separate seating, 3 Rajya Sabha members resign in one week, and 64 rebel MLAs join the dissident faction. The latest exit adds momentum to the growing wave of defections that threatens to destabilise Mamata Banerjee’s leadership and reshape West Bengal’s political landscape.

20 Lok Sabha MPs seek separate seating: Possible organisational split

Amid fluctuating exits from the TMC, party MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has confirmed that a group of 20 MPs has formally sought separate seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha, signaling a potential organisational split within the party’s parliamentary ranks. The dissident list includes prominent names such as Bapi Haldar, Dr Sharmila Sarkar, Prasun Bandyopadhyay, Jagadish Barma Basunia, Asit Kumar Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Rachna Banerjee, Saayoni Ghosh, Khalilur Rahaman, Abu Taher Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag, Mala Roy, Kalipada Soren, Deepak Adhikari, June Malia and Partha Bhowmick.

Dissident MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has declared that the bloc, once recognised, would offer support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Parliament. “A meeting of all MPs with CM Suvendu Adhikari will be held on Sunday, and then we will meet the Speaker on Monday. Nineteen MPs will be there,” rebel TMC MP Jagadish Barma Basunia said, confirming plans to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek recognition as the ‘real TMC.’

ALSO READ

3 Rajya Sabha resignations just within 1 week: TMC’s Parliamentary toll

The TMC has seen three Rajya Sabha resignations in a single week, marking a dramatic collapse in its Upper House presence:

June 8: Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned as a member of the Upper House and from the primary membership of the TMC

June 10: TMC MP Sushmita Dev resigned as a member of the Upper House

June 11: TMC MP Prakash Chik Baraik, representing West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha, resigned from the Upper House

Prakash Chik Baraik stated he had “accepted the opinion of the people” of West Bengal before taking the decision to resign from the Upper House. This is the third such resignation within a week, further highlighting the depth of TMC’s crisis.

CID searches Abhishek Banerjee’s Kalighat residence; ED raids Madan Mitra’s premises

TMC MP Kirti Azad launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led West Bengal government over the CID search of the Kalighat residence of party MP Abhishek Banerjee, declaring that this act is part of the BJP‘s “old modus operandi” of targeting opposition parties.

“It isn’t exactly breaking news that CID is at Abhishek Banerjee’s residence and ED at Madan Mitra’s place. Political parties are targeted this way. They haven’t secured even a 1% conviction rate so far. This is the BJP’s old modus operandi… They aren’t interested in actually running the government. They will just keep doing these things… No one will talk about inflation or unemployment. Petrol and diesel prices are skyrocketing,” Kirti Azad said.

Addressing recent criticism from senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who had reportedly termed him “arrogant” over his decision to change legal counsel in a signature forgery case, Abhishek Banerjee refrained from escalating the dispute. “I will not speak against him. Our differences are personal. There are no grudges, and I believe internal party matters should not be discussed publicly,” he said.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said that the police arrived at Banerjee’s residence at 3 am on Saturday.

“3 AM Saturday June 13. Police arrive at Abhishek Banerjee’s @abhishekaitc’s Kalighat residence in Kolkata. 5 AM: Disaster Management team called in to break open locks. 6:30 AM: Search begins, from second floor to terrace, lasting 90 minutes. Outcome? Seizure report says: NIL. No evidence. No wrongdoing. NOTHING. Just political vendetta, intimidation and mental torture. Operation Lotus is targeting every leader who refuses to surrender to the BJP’s diktat. Disgraceful attack on an opposition leader. VINDICTIVE, CONNIVING, scumbag LOW LIFE tactics. SHAME,” Sagarika Ghose said.

Earlier on Friday, a team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials reached the residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata in connection with the signature forgery case. On Thursday, Abhishek Banerjee was questioned by the CID for nearly 5.5 hours in connection with the same case at Bhabani Bhawan, the agency’s headquarters in Kolkata’s Alipore area.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee confirmed that he had received a notice from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with a speech-related case and would appear before the agency on June 14.

“You know I have been summoned by the CID. I remained there for 5.30 hours. I am summoned again on 14th June. I will attend that. I always cooperate with this kind of investigation,” Abhishek said. He further alleged that multiple cases were being filed against him after a change in government and questioned why no action had been taken against Union Home Minister Amit Shah over what he termed “provocative statements.”

“Many people are running source-based stories fed by CID in connection with my appearance. We will move the High Court against this matter in connection with the leaks being made when I am not sharing any information in this sub-judice matter. We will not leave an inch in this battle. You cannot bend us; we are not afraid of agencies,” Abhishek added.

Senior MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay allegedly joins rebel camp

Following a mutiny by the party’s legislators in the state assembly, Banerjee had reconstituted the TMC’s organisational committee on June 5 (Friday)— after dissolving all its former committees and frontal organisations across Bengal — packing the new leadership structure with party loyalists and old-timers in an apparent bid to revitalise the embattled party, where she, ironically, named both Ghosh and Roy for their respective posts. She had reappointed the party’s Diamond Harbour MP and her nephew (Bhaipo), Abhishek Banerjee, as its national general secretary.

With senior MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay allegedly also joining the rebel camp on Saturday (June 13), leaders of the breakaway faction claimed that 20 of the party’s 28 Lok Sabha members were already signatories to the said letter, including Ghosh and Roy.

Rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh’s son sends legal notice to Mamata Banerjee over Barasat ticket row

Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar’s son Baidyanath Dastidar has sent a legal notice to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and several TMC leaders, including Mahua Moitra, Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy and Sonali Guha, denying allegations that he had sought a party ticket from the Barasat Assembly Constituency. This came as the TMC is currently grappling with its most significant internal crisis in recent years, triggered by a crushing electoral defeat in recent elections.

In a post on X, Baidyanath Ghosh alleged that Mahua Moitra “falsely claimed that his mother, Kakoli Ghosh, was crying for an MLA ticket for him.”

“Mahua Moitra has falsely claimed that my mother was crying for an MLA ticket for me. 100% lies. Disagreements should be fought politically, not by dragging private individuals and family members into the dispute. I reserve my legal rights,” the post read.

In a separate X post, Baidyanath wrote, “I categorically deny claims that I or my mother, Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, sought a Barasat Assembly ticket. I also deny statements allegedly made that my mother and I consume alcohol.”

The legal notice sought a public clarification and apology within 15 days, asserting that he “neither sought nor desired any nomination for the Barasat Assembly Constituency” and had no political ambition in that regard. “My client categorically denies these assertions. He states that he neither sought nor desired any nomination for the Barasat Assembly Constituency and had no political ambition in that regard,” the notice said.

4,000 EVMs gutted in Fire: TMC questions whether it was ‘calculated attempt to vanish evidence’

Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has hit out at the Election Commission of India (ECI) after a massive fire gutted nearly 4,000 EVMs stored in a government building in Kolkata. The party has demanded a transparent investigation, questioning whether the incident was a deliberate attempt to make “crucial evidence vanish after tampering with Democracy.”

All India Trinamool Congress, in an official post on X, cast doubt on the timing and circumstances of the incident, terming the loss of critical electoral equipment as “mysterious.”

The post read, “MYSTERIOUSLY DESTROYED IN FIRE! 4,000 Control Units. 4,000 Ballot Units. 4,000 VVPATs. Linked to Kasba, Jadavpur, Behala East, Behala West, Metiaburuz, Satgachia and multiple assembly constituencies under Diamond Harbour sub-division.”

TMC further wrote that ECI cannot keep hiding behind planted narratives, emphasising that judicial intervention had previously been sought to ensure the security of these machines.

“@ECISVEEP cannot keep hiding behind planted narratives forever. Judicial intervention was previously sought to preserve EVMs and CCTV footage. Then how can such incidents happen?” the post read.

The party further questioned the integrity of the event, asking, “Was this merely an accident…or a calculated attempt to make crucial evidence vanish after tampering with Democracy itself?” Earlier this week, Kolkata Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the fire incident at the South 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad office near Alipore Court.

Rebel MLA Sandipan Saha claims 64 TMC MLAs have joined dissident faction

Expelled TMC leader and Deputy Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, Sandipan Saha, claimed that the number of rebel TMC MLAs supporting a dissident faction had increased. “The number is 64. When we started, the number was 58. We did not think that so many MLAs would join us. It has increased from 58 to 64,” Saha told media.

Saugata Roy unveils new TMC appointments: Arnab Banerjee for Youth Congress President, Kunal Ghosh takes over North Kolkata unit

TMC MP Saugata Roy revealed a series of new appointments aimed at filling vacancies left by ‘defectors,’ following a high-level national working committee meeting in Kolkata. In a move to strengthen the party’s presence, Arnab Banerjee has been appointed President of the Trinamool Youth Congress, and MLA Kunal Ghosh has been handed the responsibility of leading the North Kolkata organisational district.

Meanwhile, Mosarraf Hossain has been made president of the minority cell, Saugata Roy stated. Talking to the reporters, Saugata Roy further mentioned that “people joined on the Zoom from outside were Mahua Moitra, Biman Banerjee and others. It was a full meeting.”

Addressing the severity of the situation, senior leader Saugata Roy stated, “The main thing is, this meeting condemned the atrocities on the TMC workers who are being harassed, beaten up, and their offices burnt. So, we condemned that. We condemned that 4000 EVMs were burnt.”

TMC leader Saugata Roy further rejected the legitimacy of the ongoing probes, framing them as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the party’s leadership, describing it as a ‘political vendetta.’ He said, “Of course, this is a political vendetta. What does the BJP know except vendetta politics? They are doing it in the worst possible way…”

Meanwhile, in a related development, TMC’s Beleghata MP Kunal Ghosh was named the president of the party’s North Kolkata organisational district. The position was earlier held by Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

“In the wake of the recent developments, the party has asked me to shoulder responsibilities for the post,” Ghosh told reporters. On the other hand, veteran parliamentarian Saugata Roy was named the chief advisor of the TMC’s Lok Sabha wing which currently has eight MPs still owing allegiance to Mamata Banerjee.

FIR lodged against Mamata Banerjee over alleged communal remarks during SIR protest

The developments come amid growing political turmoil in the state, with an FIR reportedly being lodged against former Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee over alleged communal remarks made during a protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. According to allegations, Banerjee had told members of a minority community that their safety depended on her leadership and urged them not to be influenced by what she termed the BJP’s misleading statements.

Now, what’s next in TMC and how worst is the chaos

The TMC crisis is at its most severe level in recent years. With 20 of 28 Lok Sabha MPs potentially defecting, 64 rebel MLAs in the state assembly and three Rajya Sabha resignations in one week, the party’s organisational structure is fracturing. Mamata Banerjee has lost key youth and women wing leaders, while facing legal challenges from rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh’s son and enforcement agency raids on Abhishek Banerjee and Madan Mitra. The party is now facing an existential threat that could fundamentally alter West Bengal’s political landscape.

Lok Sabha speaker crucial meeting on Monday: Rebel MPs will meet Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as the ‘real TMC,’ which could trigger a parliamentary crisis and potentially lead to the formation of a new opposition bloc.

Possible NDA support: Dissident MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has declared that the rebel bloc would offer support to the BJP-led NDA in Parliament, which could significantly shift the political balance in the Lok Sabha.

Legal battles: Abhishek Banerjee will appear before CID on June 14 and the party may move the High Court against CID leaks. The FIR against Mamata Banerjee could lead to further legal complications.

EVM fire probe: The SIT investigating the 4,000 EVM fire could uncover evidence of tampering, which would have major electoral implications.

Internal party consolidation: Mamata Banerjee will likely continue reshuffling leadership to consolidate loyalists, but the depth of defections may make this difficult.

What this political crisis means for West Bengal and beyond?

In the coming months, West Bengal’s political landscape could undergo a dramatic transformation, starting with the potential formation of a new opposition bloc- if rebel MPs gain recognition as the real TMC, a fresh political force could emerge that allies with the BJP-led NDA, significantly weakening the INDIA bloc. The friction within TMC could also reshape electoral outcomes, with voters potentially shifting support to either the BJP-NDA alliance or a new opposition party, altering the state’s voting dynamics.

Court rulings on the CID probes, FIR against Mamata Banerjee and the mysterious EVM fire could set legal precedents affecting opposition parties nationwide, while a TMC splinter group supporting the NDA could alter the national political balance, potentially strengthening the BJP’s position in Parliament. The TMC may also need to undergo major reorganisation, potentially merging with other parties or forming a new political alliance to survive. The TMC crisis represents one of the most significant political upheavals in West Bengal’s recent history, with implications that could extend far beyond the state’s borders, reshaping both state and national politics for years to come.