- 2 days ago
In yet another setback for former Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, now her loyalist Madan Mitra on Wednesday joined the Trinamool Congress rebel camp.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:01New News coming in, it's another big jolt to TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee, veteran leader
00:06and former Bengal Minister Madan Mitra, who's now joined the rebel camp led by the leader
00:11of opposition, Ritabrata Banerjee.
00:14Mamata Banerjee, who's had one trusted aide after the other, quit her camp and joined
00:20the rebel camp.
00:21But extremely surprising as these are her closest loyalists.
00:25And another name added to the one who has jumped ship from Mamata's camp to the rebel
00:32camp is none other than Madan Mitra.
00:34Madan Mitra has quit, Mamata Banerjee's fold and joined Ritabrata Banerjee's rebel camp.
00:42We're trying to get further details whether any statement from Madan Mitra, what exactly
00:47he said are his reasons for resignation and whether there was any attempt by Mamata Banerjee
00:54or Abhishek Banerjee to stop this decision.
00:59But one thing is confirmed, Mamata loyalist Madan Mitra, who's quit her fold, all ready
01:06to join the rebel camp under Ritabrata Banerjee's leadership.
01:11India Today getting you this news break first as we're learning from very trusted sources
01:16that Madan Mitra is the man next to quit Didi's fold.
01:22No more part of Mamata Banerjee's camp, Madan Mitra has decided to quit.
01:29Shocking as many of these are closest loyalists of Mamata Banerjee, those who would move mountains
01:36for Mamata Banerjee, but have now decided to quit her fold and join the rebel camp led
01:43by Ritabrata Banerjee.
01:45Another exit, key exit as one would call it, from Mamata Banerjee's camp, Madan Mitra is
01:54the latest name that has emerged, who has quit Mamata's fold to join the rebel camp.
02:01Shortly from now, my colleague Indrajeet Sen Gupta will join us live.
02:04In fact, I'm being told that he's already with us.
02:07Indrajeet, do tell us whether there's been any official statement from Madan Mitra on his exit
02:12from Mamata's camp to join the rebel camp.
02:15He stated any reasons for doing so, any attempt by the Mamata camp to stop him from doing so.
02:21Well, these are initial times, of course, and a lot has happened in the past 24 hours,
02:27Suvesha.
02:28Madan Mitra, of course, one of the most veteran leaders from Mamata Banerjee's camp, one of
02:34the most veteran Trinamool Congress leaders, a former minister in Mamata Banerjee's cabinet,
02:38who was the former transport minister.
02:42Madan Mitra has formally joined the rebel camp today, and this comes as a huge role for the
02:47Mamata Banerjee faction.
02:49And this comes right in the backdrop of reports coming in that Madan Mitra's son and his wife
02:55has received summons from the Enforcement Directorate regarding one of the corruption allegations
03:02and a probe that has been conducted by the Enforcement Directorate last night.
03:06You know, late in the night, Madan Mitra reportedly visited the house of Sandipan Saha, one of the
03:12key members of the rebel Trinamool Congress camp.
03:15And this morning, you know, he visited the West Bengal Assembly and met the rebel camp leaders
03:22led by leader of the opposition, Ritabruta Banerjee.
03:26So, it's formal right now.
03:27We are showing those visuals.
03:29You can see Madan Mitra in a huddle with the rebel camp MLAs.
03:33And this comes as a huge role, as I said, to the Trinamool Congress leadership at this
03:37point in time, which is trying to somehow keep its camp together.
03:41Each passing week, each passing day, the numbers are dwindling at the Mamata Banerjee camp.
03:48You know, there is a lot of talk about who is going to remain.
03:53There are leaders like Shroghata Roy, leaders like Mahoma Mohitro, the MPs.
03:57The Trinamool Congress is divided in several factions right now.
04:00There are already 20 Lok Sabha MPs who have now formally joined the new political output,
04:07NCPI.
04:08And they are being, you know, likely to be recognized by the speaker in the Lok Sabha
04:12in the monsoon session.
04:14You have three former Trinamool Congress MPs from Rajya Sabha who have already quit
04:19the party.
04:19Shukhandu Chikhar Roy, Prakash Chikbarai, and Shushpita Dev.
04:23They have been re-nominated.
04:25They have joined the BJP last week and they have been re-nominated by the BJP to the Rajya
04:29Sabha.
04:29And as far as the Bengal Assembly is concerned, Madan Mitra is one of those very senior figures
04:35who have been a trusted lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee from day one.
04:39He won this election, very crucial election to 2026.
04:42And now he has switched sides.
04:44Indra, I request you to stay on with us, quickly updating all our viewers that Madan
04:47Mitra has resigned from all force in the TMC as he's joined the rebel camp.
04:52Another jolt to TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee, veteran leader and former Bengal minister Madan
04:56Mitra, who's joined the rebel camp, led by leader of opposition Rita Prata Banerjee.
05:01The Trinamool Congress appears to be facing fresh political turbulence in West Bengal in
05:05another setback for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
05:07Veteran TMC leader and former minister Madan Mitra has joined the rebel camp, led by leader
05:12of the opposition Rita Prata Banerjee.
05:14Adding to signs of growing dissent within the party, Mitra's move coming at a politically
05:18significant time and could further intensify the internal churn within the ruling Trinamool
05:24Congress.
05:24The development is expected to embolden the rebel faction while posing fresh challenges
05:29for the TMC leadership as it seeks to contain defections and project unity.
05:35Indra there getting us all the details.
05:37Let's first listen in to that statement made by Madan Mitra.
05:42Mahometa Banerjee is the leader of all the people who are now in my heart, but we have
05:51told the people that you have told the people that you have to leave for some of the people.
05:59Leave for 6 months, leave for one another.
06:19Now, China is the rebel man asking, what he wants to be lion, which is indigenous people
06:26have to pay what they need to lay out.
06:27Why, if that was him, what is the Bush�, his, he says.
06:36foreign
06:37foreign
06:39foreign
06:39foreign
06:41But it's a party for now, Mamata Ji, with my hands,
06:50I'm relieved.
06:52Let's go, this is a marathon.
06:54It's going to happen on the road.
06:59Let's go, let's see.
07:01What's going on?
07:04Indra, I want to come back to you because this is something
07:06that a lot of Mamata's loyalists have said.
07:09Their problem is not with Mamata Banerjee.
07:11Their problem is with Abhishek Banerjee.
07:12And the fact that Mamata Banerjee chooses Abhishek Banerjee over the others
07:17has led them to quit Mamata's fault.
07:22Well, you know, it seems like a scheme at play.
07:24And all the leaders who have come, you know, it's a pattern.
07:28Everybody.
07:28And even those who are standing by Mamata Banerjee would remember
07:33Kalyan Banerjee, one of the most senior-most leaders
07:36in the Trinimal Congress was still sticking with Mamata Banerjee right now.
07:39When he spoke to me last month, even he had lashed out against Abhishek Banerjee.
07:43So, the way the Trinimal Congress has been run
07:47and the fact that even after the organizational rejig that took place a few weeks back,
07:53Mamata Banerjee has, you know, continued to put her trust and her weight behind Abhishek Banerjee.
08:00He still continues to remain the National General Secretary of the Trinimal Congress.
08:05And he remains the bone of contention.
08:06Most of the leaders, be it young or old, they are all saying that Abhishek Banerjee must go.
08:12It is because of him that the party's debacle has happened in the 2026 elections.
08:18They are blaming Abhishek Banerjee for the induction of IPAC
08:22and the way IPAC handled the entire, you know, election campaign which led to the debacle.
08:28But Mamata Banerjee remains unfazed by this criticism.
08:32And therefore, one after the other, veteran leaders are quitting her side
08:37and joining the rebel camp.
08:39And as soon as they are joining the rebel camp, just as you heard from Modern Mitra,
08:43they are lashing out at Abhishek Banerjee.
08:46In fact, one more leader, Anubruta Mondol, who is known to be a strong man from Birbhum district,
08:53but who was removed from the district president's post in Birbhum.
08:57He is also scheduled to join the rebel camp led by Ritabruta Banerjee.
09:01But Modern Mitra's, you know, moving out of Mamata Banerjee's camp is politically very, very significant
09:08because he has been a trusted lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee from day one.
09:13What is interesting, Subey Shah, is that while we have seen 20 Lok Sabha MPs moving out
09:21and en masse as a bloc, joining the NCPI, merging with the NCPI,
09:26we have seen other Rajya Sabha MPs like Sushmita Dev, Shukendu Sekhar Roy and Prakash Chikbarak
09:32quitting and joining the BJP.
09:35One must make a distinction.
09:37The MLAs, now it's swollen to about 65 MLAs who had won from the Trinimal Congress's ticket.
09:44They have all shifted their loyalties and formed a separate bloc.
09:49They are calling themselves the real Trinimal Congress.
09:52Right.
09:53And while they are still with the Trinimal is what they are claiming.
09:55Right.
09:56And they have already gone to the election commission in New Delhi.
09:58They are not saying that they are with the BJP or they are joining the BJP.
10:01They are saying they are the original Trinimal Congress.
10:03Right.
10:03So Madan Mitra has resigned from all posts in the TMC, but he remains a member of the party.
10:10Indro, I request you to stay on with us because let's also add further perspective
10:14and tell our viewers why this is such a big jolt for Mamata Banerjee.
10:18The loss of ultimate loyal defender of the party that is Madan Mitra.
10:23The party has lost known mass leaders in media faces already.
10:28Validation of rebel factions legitimacy that is getting stronger by the day where all of Mamata's trusted names,
10:36the her closest aides who jumped ship to join the rebel faction and that faction is now getting stronger.
10:44Total collapse of organizational and Carter control that is happening within the TMC camp or rather to say the Mamata
10:51Banerjee camp.
10:52And now another trusted aide who has left her fold and jumped ship to join the rebel camp.
11:03I want to take this back to my colleague Indrajit Kundu who continues to stay with us.
11:07Indro, really to say that her fort is collapsing faster than she had probably imagined or maybe they had.
11:17But what really are the damage control measures because as much as they've been coming to Delhi,
11:22meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or the top lawyers to really see what are the options ahead.
11:29But her trusted loyalists taking Abhishek Banerjee's name every time to say that he is the thorn between them.
11:37Well, that's right.
11:38Look, you know, as far as control over the party is concerned,
11:42that is something that will have to be decided by the Election Commission of India.
11:46The ball is firmly with Gyanesh Kumar's court as to which is the real Trinamul Congress,
11:51who gets to use the symbol, who gets control of the funds that the Trinamul Congress is left with.
11:57It is with the Election Commission, both the camps, that is the Mamata Banerjee's camp,
12:02led by Kalyan Banerjee, veteran advocate, Mahuma Mothra,
12:06all these people have met the Election Commission a few weeks back and that discussion is underway.
12:12Response have also been sought from the Ritobrota Banerjee camp,
12:15which has also made their representation before the Election Commission of India.
12:20Similarly, this case is also before the Calcutta High Court,
12:23as far as the bank accounts of the Trinamul Congress is concerned.
12:26So it's being fought legally in the courts, it's being fought at the Election Commission,
12:30because the Election Commission will remain the final authority to give the symbol.
12:34But what is clear, of course, is as far as the strength is concerned,
12:40the number of MPs who have won, the number of MLAs who have won on a Trinamul Congress ticket in
12:46this 2026 elections,
12:48more than two thirds, a huge chunk, at least 65 or more of them, have now sided in the rebel
12:55camp.
12:56And they are challenging the authority of Mahuma Mothra Banerjee,
12:59and especially her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, at this point in time.
13:04So Madan Mitra's exit is just one chapter in this huge, you know, one can say,
13:10fight that the Trinamul Congress is fighting for its own survival under the leadership of Mahuma Mothra Banerjee.
13:26But they want the collective leadership within the party, which was not available earlier,
13:31because it was a one-man show under Abhishek Banerjee, is what they allege.
13:35Indra, I request you to stay on, because the numbers situation is exactly what we'll talk about next.
13:40But before that, a quick update coming in on the very same story.
13:43Weeks after Madan Mitra was appointed as the chief whip.
13:46Madan Mitra had been appointed as the chief whip after Ferhat Hussain's exit.
13:55Madan Mitra had resigned from all posts in the TMC as he's joined the rebel camp.
14:00This is a huge jolt to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee,
14:03veteran leader and former Bengal minister Madan Mitra, who joined the rebel camp.
14:06Let's listen in to that statement that he's put out once again,
14:09after which I go back to my colleague Indrajit Kundu.
14:16Mamata Banerjee, all of our leaders, are now in my heart.
14:21We made part of my earlier,
14:23and we did it.
14:24But I would have told him all the military four different times around home.
14:36We have told him that the President's leadership has turned out.
14:45We have at the same time.
14:48We will leave it at that time,
14:48then we will leave it at the beginning.
14:50We will leave it all.
14:51I have no doubt that it would be a good thing in my life.
15:01I have a bad thing.
15:02I have no idea.
15:06I am not a bad thing.
15:07I have a bad thing.
15:13I have no idea.
15:15But it's a party for now, Mamata Ji, I have my hands and I have my hands, I'm sorry, I'm
15:26sorry, this is a marathon, I'm going to go on the road, I'm going to go on the road, I'm
15:33going to show you what's going on.
15:38Indra, coming back to you to talk about what the current number situation is looking like, how many in the
15:43Mamata camp, how many in the rebel camp and what possibly will be the next steps of the rebel camp
15:50now to consolidate their position further.
15:54Well, you know, Suvesha, there is nothing much that the rebel camp needs to do at this point in time
15:59except for to wait for the election commission's decision.
16:02Now, please understand, Ritoprotho Banerjee, who was expelled by the Trinamul Congress, who was expelled by Mamata Banerjee, has already
16:10been accepted as the leader of the opposition by the speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
16:14So, Ritoprotho Banerjee is officially the speaker, he is officially the opposition leader, who has been accepted by the speaker,
16:23so he represents the Trinamul Congress.
16:25The fact that whether he is the original Trinamul Congress is a matter that needs to be decided by the
16:32Election Commission of India, which is before the Election Commission of India right now.
16:36So, Mamata Banerjee's camp clearly now has minority numbers of the existing Trinamul Congress MLAs who have won on a
16:45TMC ticket in this election.
16:47The Ritoprotho camp has anything close to 65 or perhaps more right now of MLAs.
16:53They have been insisting that more will come in the days and hours, even as we speak.
16:58We are told that Onubrotho Mondul, one of the key figures of the Trinamul Congress, especially from Birbom District, he
17:05is also likely to join the rebel camp at this point in time.
17:09In fact, that can happen anytime today.
17:11So, therefore, one jolt after the other.
17:14The rebel camp, of course, is confident that they are the ones who are claiming that they are the original
17:20Trinamul Congress.
17:21And the Election Commission will also give them that stamp that they can use the Trinamul Congress symbol and they
17:29will have access to the Trinamul Congress's funds.
17:32So, they are the original Trinamul Congress is what they are claiming.
17:36Their main allegation is against the TMC leadership led by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
17:42Their main issue is, of course, with Abhishek Banerjee's leadership.
17:45Right.
17:46And even though they accept, they are saying that they accept Mamata Banerjee as their leader, as a supreme leader,
17:52but they want Mamata Banerjee to remain as an advisor.
17:55So, they want Mamata Banerjee in an advisory role as far as the Trinamul Congress is concerned.
18:00Something which, of course, Mamata Banerjee's camp is unwilling to accept at this point in time because they are saying
18:07that Ritoprotho Banerjee, Banerjee's claim or the rebel camp's claim on the party's funds
18:14is something which is illegal because now they have...
18:19Oh, yes, absolutely, Indra.
18:21And very likely possibility of that happening because that is also a huge hit to the prestige of Mamata Banerjee.
18:28We'll leave it at that.
18:29That's...
Comments