Trinamool’s rebel MPs Sudip, Kakoli differ on issues, relations with MLAs
Times of India | 17 June 2026
Kolkata: Trinamool's rebel MPs, from Sudip Bandopadhyay to Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Rachna Banerjee, spoke in multiple voices on Tuesday.
While Sudip said they will not abandon their plans to stake claim to being the "real Trinamool", even if that had to come after a court decision, Kakoli maintained that the focus, at present, was on the merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). Rachna said "Didi is the symbol of Trinamool Congress".
Sudip added that they would build bridges with rebels in the Bengal assembly to stake their claims.
But Kakoli said the dissident MPs have no connection with the state legislators. "They are a separate group; their issues and agenda are different," she said on the relations with TMC's rebel MLAs.
Actor-MP Rachna, who went to the Lok Sabha secretariat after returning from Malaysia to physically sign the merger plea with NCPI, said: "We got votes because of Didi, because Didi herself is the identity and symbol of Trinamool Congress."
Assembly LoP Ritabrata Banerjee pointed out a difference between the rebel MPs and MLAs. "We are the Trinamool Congress Legislative Party. Questions regarding the party symbol and related issues have no relevance at this moment. What will happen tomorrow will be seen tomorrow," he said.
Returning to Kolkata from Delhi, Sudip said: "There's no point in discussing who is saying what. Whatever is supposed to happen is happening. Twenty MPs are merging with one party. The Parliament session will begin in July. All parties will attend. The speaker will decide. If the matter goes to court, the court will decide which is the real Trinamool and which is fake. This is a matter for the court. This happened in Maharashtra too..."
But first-time MP Rachna said in Delhi: "I have come here to sign the papers (for the merger with another party). There can never be any rebellion against Didi (Mamata Banerjee). We have shared a very old relationship with Didi, and that relationship will always remain the same. The respect we have for her will always remain. But one thing is true... everyone says that we received votes because of Didi. That is correct."
Kakoli said the first issue was to "settle the matter of our bloc merging with another party". "We have received acceptance from them and they are happy to welcome us. We will work together with the NDA under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. We are currently examining the merger process and discussing how to implement schemes that were not carried out in Bengal during the previous tenure," she said.
In Delhi, Sudip spoke about forging unity with the Ritabrata-led MLAs' camp. "The Lok Sabha session begins on July 20. The next steps will be taken before the House convenes. Similar preparations are going on in the assembly. Discussions are taking place on how both sides will sit together, come closer and determine the future course of action. Trinamool has its own symbols, assets and other organisational matters. My experience suggests that many of these matters will ultimately be settled in court. As for Lok Sabha, the speaker's responsibilities include recognising and constituting the parliamentary bloc and allocating party office space."
Rachna, along with BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, arrived at Union minister Bhupender Yadav's residence earlier on Tuesday. Lok Sabha MP Rachna Banerjee met the Lok Sabha Secretary-General. She said, "I felt that if the central government and the state government had the same party in office, then getting work done would become much easier... something we have not really seen over the past 15 years."