Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra has launched a sharp attack on a group of party MPs who have reportedly pledged support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Moitra accused these approximately 20 Lok Sabha MPs of betraying the mandate on which they were elected, challenging them to resign their seats and seek a fresh verdict from voters.
The controversy erupted after reports indicated that around 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs, led by Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, decided to formally communicate their support for the NDA to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. This move signals a significant split within the Trinamool Congress's parliamentary unit, intensifying the political challenges facing Mamata Banerjee's party.
Moitra Singles Out Yusuf Pathan
In a strong statement shared on social media, Moitra emphasized that the MPs secured their victories in 2024 on a Trinamool Congress ticket, not an NDA platform. She remarked, "All the greedy self-serving traitors with yellow-stained pants can please join BJP now- resign your seats & contest on BJP ticket. Let's see what big heroes you are."
Moitra specifically called out TMC MP Yusuf Pathan amid reports of his visit to Delhi. Addressing him directly, she stated, "And Yusuf Pathan, you are rushing to Delhi because @AmitShah has called you? Have some courage. You played for India. Our district voted you in with a huge margin. Have some shame & some spine."
Rebel MPs Seek Anti-Defection Protection
The dissenting MPs are reportedly attempting to formalize their support for the NDA without immediately resigning from the Trinamool Congress or formally joining the BJP. Speaking to reporters, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar confirmed that nearly 20 TMC MPs had decided to write to Speaker Om Birla, expressing their formal support for the NDA. "We have accepted the people's verdict and believe that our future political course should be aligned with the NDA," she asserted.
This faction aims to operate as a separate parliamentary bloc while backing the NDA, a strategy designed to secure protection under the anti-defection law. The Trinamool Congress currently holds 28 Lok Sabha seats. The support of 20 MPs would comfortably exceed the two-thirds threshold required for exemption under the anti-defection law, posing a serious threat to Mamata Banerjee’s control over the party's parliamentary ranks.