NEW DELHI: In a stunning political turnaround, Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh has reportedly joined the growing rebel camp within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), marking a massive blow to party supremo Mamata Banerjee. Ghosh, long considered one of the party’s most fierce and loyal defenders, is now a signatory among the 20 TMC lawmakers seeking to form a separate bloc in Parliament.
The move comes as part of the largest internal rebellion the Trinamool Congress has faced since its inception. Led by veteran Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a group of 20 TMC parliamentarians recently wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker offering to back the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Sources indicate that Ghosh, who is currently camping in Delhi along with other dissidents, has formally aligned with Dastidar’s faction. In another setback for the party, Mala Roy, an MP and close confidante of Mamata Banerjee, has also landed in Delhi to join the rebel fold.
A Striking Ideological Shift
Ghosh’s sudden alignment with the rebels has sent shockwaves through West Bengal’s political circles due to her history as a staunch Mamata Banerjee loyalist:
-
The “Future PM” Pitch: As the chief of the Trinamool’s youth wing, Ghosh had aggressively campaigned during the recent assembly polls, pitching Mamata Banerjee as a future Prime Minister and declaring that she would “never abandon” her leader.
-
Vocal BJP Critic: Over the years, Ghosh built a reputation for launching sharp rhetorical attacks against the BJP and the NDA, actively opposing central policies like the Women’s Reservation Bill.
-
Post-Poll Defiance: Following the Trinamool’s crushing defeat in the recent state assembly elections, Ghosh had vigorously defended the party, alleging that the mandate was manipulated through “stealing and looting of votes” and promising a fierce comeback in future polls.
The rebellion erupts just a month after the party’s electoral setback in West Bengal, exposing a deep fracture in its central parliamentary strength. While Saayoni Ghosh has yet to issue an official public statement regarding her switch, her reported inclusion in the breakaway faction underscores a rapidly shifting power dynamic within the TMC as its lawmakers look to secure their political futures in Delhi.
