TMC crisis deepens as Saugata Roy calls rebel MPs 'gaddar team'
Saugata Roy labels the breakaway TMC faction a 'team of traitors' as around 20 MPs move to merge with the NCPI and back the NDA.
The internal crisis in the Trinamool Congress escalated on Tuesday, with senior party leader Saugata Roy describing the breakaway faction of MPs as a "team of traitors" and accusing them of acting at the behest of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
In a statement, Mr. Roy drew a sharp line between the two camps, saying the party led by Mamata Banerjee remains the genuine Trinamool Congress, while the rebels have aligned themselves with the ruling coalition at the Centre.
"There are two teams — the TMC team and the gaddar team," he said, adding that the TMC team is led by Ms. Banerjee while the other is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mr. Roy also invoked the party's electoral symbol, stating that the Mamata Banerjee-led faction carries the twin-flower (jora phool) symbol and is part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, whereas the breakaway group has adopted the nib of a pen as its symbol.
His remarks came as the rebel faction claimed the support of two-thirds of the party's MPs in the Lok Sabha and announced plans to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a little-known outfit registered with the Election Commission in 2023.
Around 20 Trinamool MPs have announced their decision to merge with the NCPI and extend support to the NDA. The defectors have met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek a separate seating arrangement in the House and have indicated they will stake a claim to be recognised as the "real TMC".
Mr. Birla is expected to hear both the defected MPs and the faction led by Ms. Banerjee before deciding on recognition for the breakaway group.
Mr. Roy also pointed to the party's performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, saying the Trinamool Congress secured nearly 41% of the vote despite what he described as attempts by the BJP to misuse central agencies.
"TMC team got almost 41% of the vote in Bengal, in spite of BJP stealing, looting and capturing all agencies in the recent elections. Gaddar team?" he said.
The developments mark a fresh challenge for the Trinamool Congress, which now faces a contest over its identity, symbol and parliamentary presence ahead of the Speaker's ruling.