Kolkata, 12 June (H.S.): Political speculation intensified in West Bengal on Friday after documents purportedly bearing the signatures of 19 Trinamool Congress MPs surfaced, triggering fresh discussions about a possible split within the party’s parliamentary wing. The documents are being linked to an alleged appeal to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition of a separate parliamentary bloc. However, the authenticity of the documents has not been independently verified.

According to the documents in circulation, the first signature is that of Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, whose name is accompanied by the designation of Chief Whip. The second signature is reportedly that of Birbhum MP Satabdi Roy, identified as Deputy Leader.

The list of signatories is said to include Mathurapur MP Bapi Halder, Bardhaman Purba MP Sharmila Sarkar, Howrah MP Prasun Banerjee, Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Barma Basunia, Bolpur MP Asit Mal, Bankura MP Arup Chakraborty, Jhargram MP Kalipada Soren, Ghatal MP Deepak Adhikari (Dev), Medinipur MP June Maliah, Barrackpore MP Partha Bhowmick, Jangipur MP Khalilur Rahaman, Murshidabad MP Abu Taher Khan, Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan, Arambagh MP Mitali Bag and Kolkata Dakshin MP Mala Roy.

The documents also reportedly contain the signatures of Hooghly MP Rachna Banerjee and Jadavpur MP Sayani Ghosh at separate places. Sources close to the alleged rebel camp claim that both MPs signed the document at a later stage.

According to these sources, the purported letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker requests that the group of 19 MPs be recognised as a separate parliamentary bloc under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. However, it remains unclear whether such a letter was actually submitted to the Speaker’s office and, if so, when it was sent.

The same sources further claim that the group has decided to extend support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). No official confirmation of this claim has been issued by either the MPs concerned or the Speaker’s Secretariat.

The development comes amid ongoing turbulence within the Trinamool Congress following the party’s poor performance in the recent Assembly elections and reports of dissent within its legislative ranks. In response to the political setback, the party leadership dissolved all state-level committees and reconstituted them after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kalighat on June 5.

Notably, Sayani Ghosh was retained as head of the party’s youth wing in the new organisational structure, while Mala Roy was appointed president of the women’s wing. Reports suggesting that both leaders are among those associated with the alleged rebel camp have further fuelled concerns within the party.

The Trinamool Congress has not yet issued an official statement regarding the claims. With the authenticity of the documents yet to be verified, the alleged split and the reported move to form a separate parliamentary bloc remain matters of speculation and unconfirmed political claims.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh