Mahua Moitra Calls Rebel MPs 'Traitors', Kakoli Ghosh Hits Back Over RG Kar Row

A fresh war of words has erupted between former colleagues in the Trinamool Congress (TMC), with Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra taking a swipe at the newly launched social media presence of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), prompting a sharp response from ex-TMC MP Kakoli Dastidar Ghosh.

The exchange comes against the backdrop of the deepening crisis within the TMC after its defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, which triggered an unprecedented rebellion by a section of its parliamentarians. Twenty MPs quit the party and joined the NCPI, intensifying concerns over the party's internal cohesion and political future.

On Sunday, Mahua Moitra shared a screenshot of the NCPI's newly created Facebook page and mocked the fledgling outfit on social media. "Introducing NCPI – the new party of the 20 MPs elected on AITC symbols. Its FB page says 'it helps the poor people of our society'. Really hope it manages to help these 20 not-so-poor traitors too," she wrote, branding the defectors as "traitors."

Kakoli Dastidar Ghosh, one of the leading faces of the rebellion and now aligned with the NCPI, responded directly to Moitra's remarks by invoking the RG Kar controversy. "Were you part of the party at #RGKar? On the day Abhaya met her end protesting against misuse of funds meant for drug purchase for poor patients? You stand by her or not," Ghosh posted, questioning Moitra's position on the issue.

The public spat highlights the increasingly acrimonious relationship between loyalists and rebel leaders following the TMC's electoral setback. While the party leadership has accused defectors of betraying the mandate they received under the TMC banner, the rebels have defended their decision by raising questions over governance, accountability and the party's internal functioning.