The political crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) appeared to deepen on Friday as only a handful of party legislators and parliamentarians attended a meeting convened by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence in Kolkata.
The meeting came days after a significant number of TMC legislators reportedly skipped a key party gathering, fuelling speculation about growing discontent within the organisation. According to party sources, only eight MLAs attended Friday's huddle, while just four of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs were present. Among the Rajya Sabha members, only Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen attended.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also present at the meeting. Prominent leaders including Firhad Hakim, Madan Mitra, Kunal Ghosh and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay were among those who attended.
In response to questions over the low turnout, the TMC clarified that the gathering was a meeting of its National Working Committee and not a session involving all MPs and MLAs. The party said several committee members, including Mahua Moitra, Sushmita Dev, Mukul Sangma and Rajesh Tripathi, participated virtually.
Meanwhile, rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee claimed support for the dissident camp was increasing and suggested more MLAs could join the rebellion during the upcoming Assembly session.
The revolt erupted after the TMC's defeat in the recent Assembly elections, with several leaders questioning Mamata Banerjee's leadership. Amid the ongoing turmoil, the party has already expelled two MLAs, marking one of the most serious internal challenges in its history.
