Top News

The internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) deepened on Tuesday after senior party MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed that fellow parliamentarian Yusuf Pathan travelled to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah following a direct call from the BJP leader.

"Yusuf Pathan said that Amit Shah had called him, and he came to Delhi to meet him," Banerjee said during a press conference amid mounting speculation over a possible split within the TMC party.

The remarks come at a time when the TMC is facing one of its most serious internal challenges, with a group of dissident MPs reportedly seeking to align themselves with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Kalyan Banerjee Targets Rebel MPs

Launching a sharp attack on the dissident faction, Banerjee alleged that the rebel lawmakers had effectively switched allegiance from TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"They (rebel MPs) went to Bhupender Yadav's residence, CM Suvendu Adhikari also went there, it means they have joined BJP. They have changed their leader from Mamata Banerjee to Narendra Modi. I will invite each MP to face TMC workers in their constituencies and hear what people there say. Democracy has gone, autocracy is prevailing in West Bengal now," he said.

#WATCH | Delhi | On rebellion within the party, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says, "They (rebel MPs) went to Bhupender Yadav's residence, CM Suvendu Adhikari also went there, it means they have joined BJP. They have changed their leader from Mamata Banerjee to Narendra Modi. I will… pic.twitter.com/lfISPm0tIn

— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2026

His remarks came after rebel TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that nearly 20 party MPs had formally conveyed their intention to support the NDA.

"A total of 20 TMC Members of Parliament have formally addressed a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, expressing their desire to extend support to the NDA, signalling a potential shift in the political landscape of West Bengal and national parliamentary dynamics," Dastidar said. 

Mahua Moitra Questions Pathan

TMC MP Mahua Moitra also escalated her criticism of the dissident camp and directly targeted Pathan over reports of his alleged outreach to BJP leaders.

"And @iamyusufpathan 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," Moitra said in a social media post.

Her comments reflected growing unease within the party over the activities of rebel MPs amid speculation about a possible realignment with the NDA.

Pathan Rejects Resignation Reports

The political controversy has unfolded alongside speculation regarding Pathan's future as the MP from Baharampur.

Reports had suggested that TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee could contest a by-election from the constituency and that Pathan might be asked to vacate the seat.

However, Pathan categorically rejected the claims on June 6, describing them as "completely false."

"For some time now, news has been going viral that Mamata Banerjee asked me to resign from my MP post from the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat so that she can contest the Lok Sabha election from there. Mamata Banerjee has never told me this," Pathan said in a video statement shared on social media.

He also clarified that neither Banerjee nor any senior party leader had ever discussed such a proposal with him.

Sourav Ganguly Denies Involvement

The controversy also drew a response from former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, who dismissed reports claiming that he had approached Pathan on Banerjee's behalf regarding a possible resignation from the Baharampur seat.

In a statement, Ganguly said he had neither been requested by Banerjee to convey any message nor contacted Pathan regarding such a proposal. He described the reports as untrue and urged media organisations to verify facts before publishing them.

Anti-Defection Calculations

The dissident MPs' move is being viewed as a strategic attempt to navigate the anti-defection provisions under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

According to Dastidar, the rebel camp has secured the backing of around 20 MPs, a figure that would exceed the two-thirds threshold required under the merger provision of the anti-defection law.

If recognised by parliamentary authorities, the faction could seek protection from disqualification and formally align itself with the NDA, potentially reshaping both West Bengal politics and the parliamentary strength of the ruling alliance.