After hours of speculation and meetings, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay joins the rebel camp of the party along with 19 other MPs, deepening the turmoil within the party following its crushing defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, Bandyopadhyay was seen along with Satabdi Roy – another rebel MP of the TMC – entering Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav’s residence in New Delhi. The duo had also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah before Bandyopadhyay – considered a close aide of Mamata Banerjee – joined hands with the rebels, as per a PTI report.
SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY REMOVED FROM PARTY POSTS
Following Bandyopadhyay’s meeting with Bhupender Yadav, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday announced a series of organisational changes, hours after senior party leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Satabdi Roy were reportedly seen entering
In a significant reshuffle, TMC ‘loyalist’ Kunal Ghosh was appointed as the president of the party’s North Kolkata organisational district, replacing Sudip Bandyopadhyay. Senior leaders Saugata Roy and Jyotipriya Mallick have been inducted into the party’s National Working Committee. Alifa Ahmed has been given charge of the Mahila Trinamool, while Mosharraf Hossain has been appointed president of the Minority Cell. The move has sparked political speculation amid reports of the Delhi meeting.
The party also made changes to its youth wing leadership. Arnab Banerjee has been appointed as the new State Trinamool Youth Congress President, replacing Saayoni Ghosh. The reasons behind the leadership change were not immediately disclosed by the party.
The developments come at a time when political circles are closely watching the activities of several senior TMC leaders ahead of key electoral battles. While neither Bandyopadhyay nor Roy has publicly commented on their reported meeting with Bhupendra Yadav, the timing of the organisational reshuffle has drawn attention within political circles.
A key meeting took place at the Kalighat residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, prior to the announcement.
Among those who arrived at Banerjee’s residence are TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, senior MP Kalyan Banerjee, former state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, and former MP Subhashish Chakraborty.
The gathering also included advocate Shirsanya Bandopadhyay, son of Kalyan Banerjee, as well as Kunal Ghosh and state minister Shovandeb Chattopadhyay.
The presence of several top-ranking leaders and legal figures has fuelled speculation about important discussions within the party leadership. However, the agenda of the meeting has not been officially disclosed.
The TMC leadership has not officially linked the appointments to the Delhi meeting.
‘IF SUDIP DA LEFT, SO BE IT’
Amid discussions over an apparent rift within the party, TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee downplayed concerns regarding senior leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay. Speaking to reporters, Banerjee said that leaders leaving the party would not affect the organisation and asserted that the electorate would ultimately decide their political future.
“Many people have left the party before. If Sudip-da has left, so be it. It makes no difference. When elections come, the people will give their verdict,” Banerjee said.
He also defended the role of the opposition in a democracy, arguing that its primary responsibility is to question the government, raise public concerns, and highlight issues affecting citizens rather than support the ruling establishment.
Taking a dig at the BJP leadership, Banerjee alleged that the ruling party was attempting to weaken opposition forces across the country. He claimed that democratic institutions were under pressure and accused the BJP of trying to shrink the political space available to opposition parties at both the national and state levels.
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Published By:
Ritaban Misra
Published On:
Jun 13, 2026 23:00 IST
