Following massive electoral setbacks for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), veteran politician and MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a scathing attack on rebel party lawmakers, with a particular focus on dissenting minority MPs who have reportedly expressed a desire to switch allegiances to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The political landscape in West Bengal has shifted dramatically. After previously losing control of the state assembly, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC recently suffered a severe blow in the Lok Sabha elections. The party’s parliamentary presence has crumbled to just eight remaining loyalists, leaving leadership struggling to maintain control over a fractured parliamentary unit.

Among the lawmakers who have broken ranks are four prominent minority MPs: Yusuf Pathan, Sajda Ahmed, Abu Taher, and Khalilur Rahman. While the party hierarchy has already branded these dissenters as “traitors,” Kalyan Banerjee directed a sharp, ironic warning toward them.

“Abu Taher, Khalilur Rahman remember, Narendra Modi is your leader now. Keep that in mind,” Banerjee remarked mockingly, pointing out the paradox of minority leaders aligning with the saffron camp.

The Minority Factor in Bengal Politics

The shifting stance of these MPs marks a significant detour in Bengal’s political narrative. Historically, the minority electorate has played a decisive role in the state’s politics, and Mamata Banerjee’s administration consistently prioritized their representation. Critics have frequently pointed out that minority representation has declined nationally under the Modi government, highlighting the absence of Muslim ministers in the Union Cabinet. Given this context, the decision of these minority MPs to lean toward the NDA has drawn intense scrutiny and sharp criticism from the TMC remnant.

Banerjee challenged the rebel MPs to face their constituencies rather than seeking new political shelters. “I challenge each of them to go back to their assembly segments. Hold meetings with the workers who fought for you and the people who voted you into power. Do not hold meetings flanked by saffron leaders,” he stated.

Demands for Proof and Mockery of Star Candidates

Addressing claims by the rebels that their defection was triggered by grievances against TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee dismissed the assertions as baseless excuses. “Where and to whom did you lodge these complaints?” Kalyan questioned.

“If you filed official grievances, produce the letters or show the emails. We deny that any such complaints were ever made, so the burden of proof is on them.” He further alleged that instead of raising constructive issues, certain rebel women MPs were previously focused only on sycophancy. “Those same women MPs used to flatter ‘Didi’ [Mamata Banerjee], praising her sarees and borders. They never raised a single grievance back then,” he claimed.

Banerjee also took a swipe at the celebrity politicians within the party, stating that stardom does not translate to independent political strength. “Film stars behave like entities from another planet. They assume that because crowds mob them in public, Parliament will run according to them too. Let’s be clear—without local organizational strength like Anubrata Mondal (‘Kesto’), even someone like Satabdi Roy could not have won.”

“BJP Won’t Accept Stained Leaders”

Despite the rebels’ apparent interest in joining the NDA, Banerjee predicted that their aspirations would hit a roadblock, claiming the BJP would not risk its image by inducting tainted politicians.

“The BJP knows exactly who accepted bribes in the Narada sting, who ran corruption syndicates, and who did what behind closed doors. The BJP will not welcome people with such compromised records,” Banerjee asserted, suggesting the rebels would find themselves politically stranded.

Opposition Reacts: “The Sooner This Party Dissolves, The Better”

Reacting to the ongoing turmoil within the TMC, BJP leader and former minister Tapas Roy dismissed the significance of the internal bickering, framing the collapse of the party as a positive development for the state.

“The entire party is on the verge of vanishing, so talking about fluctuations in their numbers is irrelevant,” Roy said. “The sooner this party dissolves entirely, the better it will be for democracy and the welfare of West Bengal.”

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