Kakoli, Satabdi may press defamation charges on Mahua Moitra for ‘Rs 40 crore’ remark
The Statesman | 22 June 2026
Lok Sabha MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy who have just switched sides from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the almost-obsolete Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) may be pressing defamation charges on TMC Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra over her ‘Rs 40 crore’ sell-out remark.
Sources indicate that Dastidar and Roy held a virtual meeting on this issue and came to this decision. Dastidar has even claimed that the 20 break-away MPs were also present in the meeting.
The TMC has been in a deep soup over the last few weeks with several parliamentarians as well as MLAs resigning from the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
Moitra who is one of the most vocal supporters of the Mamata Banerjee camp claimed that the 20 parliamentarians switched sides in lieu of payouts worth Rs 40 crore, payable in Rs 4 crore up front and Rs 1 crore a month over a span of 36 months.
“Only ₹15 cr? Saste mein kyo jaa rahe hai? Believe ours got ₹4cr up front and ₹1cr a month for next 36 months of term,” Moitra said on X on June 17 (Wednesday) in response to Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut who had claimed that their parliamentarians were allegedly getting sold out for Rs 15 crore.
“Apna Sapna Money Money! It’s shocking and revolting that Maharashtra MPs are reportedly being offered ₹15 crore each tonight to switch sides,” Raut had said on X.
Dastidar carried out a massive coup last week by drumming up support from as many as 20 rebel TMC MPs, including Roy, and joined NCPI, the Tripura-based political outfit, thereby avoiding the legal hurdle of the anti-defection law. The TMC got left with only eight Lok Sabha MPs after the split.
The NCPI MPs have sworn their allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democractic Alliance.