Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has vehemently asserted that the party’s dissenting lawmakers are misinterpreting constitutional law. In a statement made on June 12, 2026, via a social media platform, she referenced the 91st Constitutional Amendment enacted in 2003, which eliminated the option for a separate parliamentary bloc. Moitra urged all nineteen rebel MPs to resign and contest further elections under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) banner.

Expressing her views, Moitra stated that the legal framework makes it clear that merely having a certain number of MPs does not qualify a group to operate independently from the parent party. She stressed that for a faction to be established, two-thirds of the original party must merge with another party, a threshold the rebel group reportedly failed to meet.

She further elaborated that even if the rebel faction managed to garner the appropriate backing from two-thirds of TMC MPs, they would not have the legitimate grounds to function as a distinctive parliamentary entity. Her assertion included references to a Supreme Court ruling which, according to her, settles this matter clearly.

Emerging Political Tensions

The ongoing power struggle within the TMC has intensified as the 19 rebel MPs have sought separate seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha, raising questions about a potential split in the party. The TMC has been experiencing internal turmoil, especially following its lacklustre performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.

This political discord has manifested physically, with the removal of TMC posters from the party’s office located at 20, Rajendra Prasad Road, where Partha Bhowmick, one of the dissenters, resides. The posters were later relocated to the South Avenue residence of Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque, signalling a shift in allegiances within the party.

The rebel faction, ostensibly comprising several key figures, claims to have garnered support from 19 members of the Lok Sabha and 64 from the Legislative Assembly. The group submitted a formal request to the Lok Sabha Speaker on May 18, 2026, in pursuit of separate seating arrangements, a move that has further ignited speculation of their intentions.

Speculations of Political Realignment

In light of these shifting alliances, connections between the rebel MPs and senior BJP officials have reportedly surfaced, stoking further uncertainty about the future of the TMC and its direction. Meetings with influential BJP leaders, including Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, have added an additional layer to the narrative surrounding a potential consolidation of power.

Despite the swirling conjecture, no formal announcement regarding a merger has been disclosed as of yet. Any such transition would necessitate adherence to the anti-defection law, as outlined in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority for a split to be recognised.

As the political climate remains turbulent, the tensions between the TMC leadership and its dissident members appear to be escalating. The differing visions for the organisation’s future continue to create friction, reflecting the broader complications within West Bengal’s political landscape.

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