An internal rift within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha parliamentary party has surfaced, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seizing the opportunity to spotlight the dispute.
The controversy arose after a woman MP reportedly exited the party’s official WhatsApp group and submitted a formal complaint to party chairperson Mamata Banerjee, alleging that a senior MP mocked her by calling her an “international lady.”
The matter drew public attention after BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted screenshots of the WhatsApp conversation on social media platform X on Tuesday morning.
The images depicted a heated exchange between senior MP Kalyan Banerjee and newly elected MP Kirti Azad.
Accompanying the screenshots was a cryptic caption from Malviya: “Who is this versatile international lady?”—an apparent jibe referencing the phrase allegedly used by the senior MP.
Although the authenticity of the screenshots remains unverified and the TMC has yet to issue an official response, the incident has triggered political speculation and unrest within the party’s ranks.
Sources within the TMC confirmed that the woman MP’s letter was hand-delivered to Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, as well as to the party’s general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, on Tuesday morning.
Party insiders also suggested this was not an isolated incident—several women MPs have previously raised concerns about remarks made by the same senior MP.
In one such case, during a disagreement involving the Election Commission, the MP allegedly referred to a woman colleague as a “quota MP”, a comment that drew internal criticism.
Supporters of the senior MP, however, maintain that the complainant had instigated the disagreement and overreacted by escalating the issue to the leadership.
The unfolding episode appears to reflect a deeper fissure within the TMC’s Lok Sabha faction. In contrast, the party’s Rajya Sabha group remains unaffected.
While Mamata Banerjee heads the parliamentary party in both Houses, Sudip Bandyopadhyay leads the party in the Lok Sabha, and Derek O’Brien in the Rajya Sabha.
The current conflict reportedly began when the new MP proposed supporting the opening of a Chittaranjan Park-based sweet shop’s branch in the new Parliament canteen. A draft letter in support of the idea was circulated among party MPs for signatures.
The senior MP raised objections, informed Mamata Banerjee, and a party whip was subsequently issued directing members not to endorse any initiative involving private enterprises. The complainant MP, who had initially backed the letter, withdrew her support in accordance with the whip.
Following this, tensions in the WhatsApp group escalated, culminating in the woman MP’s exit and a written exchange with the senior MP. Portions of this exchange were later posted online by the BJP.
According to TMC sources, the senior MP is a veteran party stalwart and considered close to Mamata Banerjee. The complainant, though relatively new to the party’s internal workings, has parliamentary experience and recently reclaimed a previously lost seat in the 2024 general elections by defeating a high-profile BJP contender.
A newly appointed Rajya Sabha MP, when asked to comment, observed, “What’s happening in the Lok Sabha group feels more like a college students’ WhatsApp group. The attacks and counterattacks show just how deeply the rift has grown.”
As the BJP continues to amplify the matter, attention now turns to how Mamata Banerjee will navigate the simmering discord within her parliamentary ranks.
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