NEW DELHI / KOLKATA: Asserting his absolute loyalty to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Shri Saugata Roy claimed that he was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with an offer to switch allegiances, which he summarily rejected.
“Yes, I got an offer to join [the BJP]. But I rejected it. I will stay in the party on whose symbol I won the election,” Roy told news agency ANI. His statement arrives at a time when the Trinamool Congress is battling an unprecedented organizational crisis, marked by high-profile exits and an active internal rebellion.
Trinamool Congress Crisis Tracker
High-Profile Resignation: Senior leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray has resigned from the Rajya Sabha and quit the party following sharp corruption allegations against the leadership.
Legislative Rebellion: Approximately 60 out of the party’s 80-odd MLAs have reportedly broken ranks to back a rebel faction led by MLA Ritabrata Banerjee.
The Defection Buzz: Speculation is mounting over a larger cluster of Trinamool MPs orchestrating a crossover to the BJP fold.
Downplaying the Exit of Sukhendu Sekhar Ray
Saugata Roy’s public declarations were triggered immediately after veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray severed ties with the TMC, citing bombshell corruption allegations. Ray’s subsequent visit to a senior BJP leader’s residence added intense fuel to speculation that he is on the verge of joining the saffron party.
Brushing aside concerns over the exit, Roy questioned Ray’s grassroots political weight. “This is not important. The MP of Rajya Sabha who has never won in an election… what is the value of his opinion?” Roy remarked.
However, addressing the broader exodus of disgruntled lawmakers, the veteran MP offered a deeper, more candid assessment of the party’s current vulnerabilities. Pointing out that the Trinamool Congress had recently lost power, Roy stated, “Not everyone in politics has the strength to accept defeat. Such people change position when the situation turns bad. This is what has happened.”
Abhishek Banerjee Under Fire; Fight for the Symbol
The rebellion within the TMC appears heavily concentrated against the leadership style of Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and party National General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee. Roy alleged that the defecting leaders had fallen prey to “greed” and were lured away by the BJP with lofty promises, while confidently asserting that none of the rebels possess the grassroots strength to win an Assembly seat on their own steam.
When questioned about whether the party high command is anxious that the rebel faction—backed by 60 MLAs—might lay claim to the official Trinamool election symbol, Roy dismissed the possibility:
“The symbol is given by the Election Commission. They don’t change the symbol according to the MLA. That situation has not come yet.”
The Road to a Resurgence
Despite the severe structural fragmentation, Roy expressed absolute confidence that the party would orchestrate a successful political comeback, emphasizing the mass appeal of its supremo. “If Mamata Banerjee gets down on the road, it will happen,” he said.
Commenting on Mamata Banerjee’s presence at a high-level opposition INDIA bloc meeting in the national capital—which occurred concurrently with a parallel huddle of rebel Trinamool MPs—Roy noted that broader national alliances are critical for the party’s survival. “The Trinamool is being targeted and attacked a lot. If more anti-BJP parties come together, the opposition will be more powerful and there will be more pressure on the BJP. If other parties support us, it will give us power,” he concluded.
