20 Trinamool MPs write to Lok Sabha speaker extending support to BJP-led NDA

A group of 20 Trinamool Congress MPs, led by party leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, declaring their support for the ruling National Democratic Alliance, PTI reported.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party has 28 MPs in the Lower House of Parliament. Although the TMC had won 29 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the MP from Basirhat has since died and a bye-poll is yet to be held.

The development comes amid turmoil within the TMC at the state level and in the Rajya Sabha.

On Wednesday, 58 of the 80 MLAs of the TMC rebelled against the party and elected now-expelled party leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of the Opposition.

The stand taken by the 58 MLAs is being viewed as a challenge to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is supporting Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Opposition leader in the Assembly.

On Monday, the 20 MPs wrote to Birla after holding a meeting at the home of Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party’s West Bengal observer Bhupendra Yadav in New Delhi, The Hindu reported.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was also present during the meeting, The Indian Express reported.

Those part of the breakaway faction include Howrah MP Prasun Banerjee, Bankura MP Anup Chakraborty, Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Bolpur Lok Sabha MP...

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