Rebel TMC MPs claim 22 supporters ahead of Lok Sabha Speaker meet Monday
Synopsis
The TMC rebellion in the Lok Sabha is escalating fast. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar now claims 22 MPs — up from 19 signatories on a public document just days ago — and has a confirmed appointment with Speaker Om Birla on Monday to demand a separate bloc. If the numbers hold, it would be one of the most significant parliamentary splits in recent West Bengal political history.
Key Takeaways
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed on 14 June that 22 TMC MPs now back the rebel faction she leads.
The rebel group is scheduled to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to formally demand a separate parliamentary bloc.
A document signed by 19 rebel TMC MPs was made public on Friday ; Sudip Bandyopadhyay joined on Saturday , taking the confirmed count to 20 .
The rebel faction reportedly intends to support the BJP -led NDA government at the Centre.
Two of the eight unsigned TMC MPs — identities not yet confirmed — are claimed to have joined the faction, per Ghosh Dastidar.
The TMC split became visible on 1 June , when the Parliamentary Party fracture first came to light publicly.
Rebel All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Sunday, 14 June claimed that the breakaway faction she leads now commands the support of 22 Lok Sabha MPs — up from the 20 cited earlier — and that the group will formally meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to demand recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc. The claim was made while Ghosh Dastidar was en route to Delhi, where the rebel faction is scheduled to hold a meeting.
What Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Said
Speaking to reporters outside Delhi airport, Ghosh Dastidar said, 'I am going to Delhi for a meeting. Total 22 people are with us. Lok Sabha Speaker (Om Birla) has given us an appointment to meet on Monday. We will meet the Lok Sabha Speaker on Monday and demand the formation of a separate bloc.'
She declined to identify the two newly added MPs, saying their names would be disclosed once they formally joined the faction. 'Those who have honestly expressed their opinion against the situation that has happened in West Bengal in the last four to five years have been contacted. The number (in the rebel Trinamool faction) is 22,' she added.
How the Rebellion Unfolded
The fracture within the TMC's Parliamentary Party became publicly visible on 1 June, when party supremo Mamata Banerjee and TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee were both in Delhi. On that day, Ghosh Dastidar first claimed the support of roughly 20 MPs.
By Friday, a document bearing the signatures of 19 rebel TMC MPs was made public. The signatories included Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Satabdi Roy, Bapi Halder, Sharmila Sarkar, Prasun Banerjee, Jagadish Basunia, Asit Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Deepak Adhikari (alias Dev), June Malia, Partha Bhowmik, Khalilur Rahman, Abu Taher Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag, and Mala Roy. MPs Rachana Banerjee and Saayoni Ghosh signed the document separately, according to sources close to the rebel group.
On Saturday, Kolkata Uttar MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay also joined the rebel bloc, taking the confirmed count to 20. The 19 rebel MPs have reportedly written to Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate bloc under Ghosh Dastidar's leadership, though it is not yet confirmed whether the letter has been formally received.
BJP Angle and the Digha Development
According to sources, the rebel faction intends to extend support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre. West Bengal Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was initially expected to attend the Delhi meeting, but reports indicate he did not travel to Delhi as he was scheduled to attend a programme in Digha.
Who Remains Outside the Rebel Camp
As of Sunday, eight TMC MPs had not signed the rebel document: Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy, Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha, Pratima Mondal, and Sajda Ahmed. If Ghosh Dastidar's count of 22 is accurate, two of these eight MPs would need to have joined the faction — though their identities remain unconfirmed.
What Happens Next
The rebel faction's Monday meeting with Speaker Om Birla will be a critical test of whether the numbers hold and whether the Speaker grants the group formal recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc. The outcome could reshape TMC's position in the 18th Lok Sabha and has significant implications for the NDA's floor management in the lower house.
Point of View
Complete with a signed document, a Speaker's appointment, and a declared intent to back the NDA. What is striking is the speed: from a murmur on 1 June to a claimed 22-MP bloc in under two weeks. The unanswered question is whether Speaker Om Birla will grant formal recognition, which requires a minimum threshold under anti-defection rules — a legal tightrope the rebels will have to walk carefully. Mamata Banerjee's silence on the rebellion's scale, and Abhishek Banerjee's continued non-alignment with the rebels, suggests the TMC leadership is calculating rather than panicking. The next 48 hours will determine whether this is a historic split or a pressure tactic that collapses before the Speaker's office.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is leading the rebel TMC faction in the Lok Sabha?
The rebel faction is led by TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who has been its most vocal public face since the split became visible on 1 June. She was the first signatory on the document signed by 19 rebel MPs that was made public on Friday.
How many TMC MPs are reportedly backing the rebel faction?
As of 14 June, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claims 22 MPs support the rebel faction. A public document carries 19 signatures, Sudip Bandyopadhyay joined on Saturday taking the confirmed count to 20, and two more are claimed to have joined though their names have not been disclosed.
What will the rebel TMC MPs demand when they meet the Lok Sabha Speaker?
The rebel MPs are scheduled to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to formally demand recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc, with Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as their leader. They have reportedly already written to the Speaker making this request.
Which party does the rebel TMC faction intend to support?
According to sources close to the rebel group, the faction intends to extend support to the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, a significant political shift for MPs who were elected on a Trinamool Congress ticket.
Which TMC MPs have not yet joined the rebel faction?
As of Sunday, eight TMC MPs had not signed the rebel document: Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy, Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha, Pratima Mondal, and Sajda Ahmed. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's claim of 22 MPs implies two of these eight may have since joined.
