The breakaway faction of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs that wants to form a separate bloc and align with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had been planning its revolt for the past few weeks, according to leaders with knowledge of the developments. While the leaders loyal to party chairperson Mamata Banerjee tracked their movements, on the morning of June 8 they too appeared to have been caught off guard.
While the rebels claim the support of 20 of the TMC’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs — several of them attended a meeting at Union Minister Bhupender Yadav’s home on Monday — the TMC organisational leadership claims they number no more than 10 or 12. To avoid the provisions of the anti-defection law, two-thirds of the MPs in the Lok Sabha, or 19, need to come together.
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Leaders with knowledge of the development said the BJP first reached out to Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who claimed to have sent a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s office with the signature of 20 MPs, last month after Mamata Banerjee replaced her as the party’s Lok Sabha chief whip and reinstated Kalyan Bandyopadhyay.
Following the decision, taken at a meeting at Mamata’s Kalighat residence on May 14, Ghosh Dastidar began distancing herself from the party and posted on social media, “76 theke chena, 84 theke path chala, char doshoker anugatter janne aaj puraskrita holam (Knew since 76, started walking together in 84, rewarded for four decades of loyalty)”
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TMC sources said soon afterwards the BJP reached out to Ghosh Dastidar. A few days later, the government accorded her the Y-category security, which she accepted, while the security cover of many other TMC leaders, including that of Abhishek, was curtailed.
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Asked for the reasons for her revolt, Ghosh Dastidar told the media that the BJP initiated contact with the rebels. “I have been with Mamata Banerjee for 42 years. I am not a newcomer. However, I am hurt since corruption and wrongdoings (in our party) are rampant. When we saw such sadness in our colleagues, we made a decision that we will work for the development of our area and the state, cooperating with the Central and state governments. Our CM Suvendu Adhikari contacted everyone. Side by side, hearing the sadness in my heart, our colleagues (the rebel MPs) contacted me.”
Calls went out to many TMC MPs from Ghosh Dastidar, who resigned from all party posts on May 24, as well as BJP leaders. TMC’s Dum Dum MP Sougata Roy told The Indian Express, “I received a call from a BJP leader in Delhi. I politely said no. In my opinion, what is happening is not unprecedented. It has happened before. When Mamata Banerjee left the Congress, how many people were with her?”
The rebel MPs began coordinating by then while simultaneously a rebellion was underway in the West Bengal Assembly. In the end, a breakaway group led by Ritabrata Banerjee claimed the support of 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs and took control of the TMC Legislature Party.
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The TMC’s Purba Bardhaman MP, who was seen at the meeting at Yadav’s home, told The Indian Express that she decided to jump ship because the leader appeared paralysed and out of reach.
“When I was approached, I gave it a good thought. I will not tell you who approached me. Thereafter I connected with others and made a decision. For two days, we deliberated. Then finally we all came to a decision. The party brass was directionless. I was part of the fact-finding committee that the party set up after post-poll violence. I went to the villages and saw how our workers were under pressure. That was the last initiative taken by the party and the communication I received,” said Sarkar.
“I submitted my report with details of post-poll violence and the plight of workers. But no direction, advice or anything came from the higher-ups. After the Assembly poll defeat, the party seemed to be in a limbo. I did not know what to do. No one even communicated with me,” she said.
“Moreover, the new government is doing a wonderful job. In this short time land has been handed over to the BSF for fencing at the Bangladesh border. It was a long-pending question of national security. See how within a couple of days the Chingrighata metro stretch (in Kolkata) was completed. Earlier, it was stalled for months. This is impressive. I wanted to be part of this development. Without the state government’s help, how will I develop my area?” said Sarkar.
The MLAs’ revolt bolstered the rebel MPs, with more switching sides after that, said Sarkar. “I got calls from Kakoli di. We deliberated over the issue. We all know that the party is steeped in corruption and a section of MPs like us never get the due respect. So we decided that it’s time we take a stand. Slowly, more MPs joined us. Sixty MLAs revolted against the party and Abhishek Banerjee further bolstered us. The timing of June 8 coinciding with the INDIA alliance meeting was also fixed before. We were also aware that Sukhendu Shekhar Ray would resign the same day,” said another senior MP who joined the rebel camp but refused to be identified.
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The TMC’s Murshidabad MP Abu Taher Khan refused to comment on his decision to attend the meeting in Delhi, but sources close to him said he was under pressure back home from his constituents.
Sources in the TMC said they were aware of the manoeuvrings by the rebels but did not anticipate the number would be so high, close to two-thirds. Since June 3, they were told to talk to the suspected rebels and keep the ranks intact. Some were even tasked with calling each of the suspected rebel MPs individually and asking them to send photos of their whereabouts.
“We had information that around 10 to 12 MPs are with Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. We did not imagine that those who won with tickets given by Mamata Banerjee would jump ship just after one electoral setback. They will have to answer to people,” said a senior MP.