Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav step in with support for injured Abhishek Banerjee as TMC expels two lawmakers
Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the state police are putting heavy pressure on her lawmakers to change sides.
In a video message on social media, the former West Bengal Chief Minister said that there is a planned effort to weaken her party. She claimed officials are using threats and money to target TMC Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs).
This statement comes at a time when the TMC is facing internal problems. The party recently expelled two MLAs, Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee, for working against party interests and skipping important meetings.
“The BJP is spreading lies to break us, but they will not succeed,” Banerjee said in her video address. “A few people who enjoyed power for years are now making deals with the ruling party because we lost the election. Their exit is actually good for us. It clears out selfish elements and helps us rebuild the party with our real grassroots workers.”
Low Attendance Sparks Concern
The internal unity of the TMC is facing questions after a major party meeting called by Banerjee on Sunday saw very low attendance. Out of 80 elected MLAs, only 20 turned up at her Kalighat home in Kolkata, forcing the leadership to cancel the meeting.
While political experts see this low turnout as a sign of a split, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh denied the claims. Ghosh said the lawmakers were busy organizing statewide protests against recent attacks on senior leaders, including National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and MP Kalyan Banerjee.
The TMC has faced multiple challenges since the recent state assembly elections. The BJP won a majority by taking 208 out of 294 seats, making Suvendu Adhikari the new Chief Minister. The TMC won only 80 seats. Since the defeat, the party has seen high-profile exits, including the resignation of Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh, and poor turnout at party rallies.
Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav Offer Support
As pressure grows within the state, national opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav have extended their support to Mamata Banerjee after the recent attack on Abhishek Banerjee.
Banerjee shared that both Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav called her to offer medical help for the injured MP. She said the two leaders offered to fly Abhishek Banerjee to Hyderabad for medical treatment because they believe local healthcare services face political pressure from the state government.
“Rahul Gandhi ji and Akhilesh Yadav ji called me to show they care,” Banerjee said. “They told me, ‘Mamata ji, if you need anything, let us know. We will arrange Abhishek’s treatment in Hyderabad.’ The duty to save democracy in our country now sits on the shoulders of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi.”
Political experts believe this public show of support from Gandhi and Yadav is an effort to build a strong, united opposition front against the state government. By highlighting this call, Banerjee is framing the state’s political battle as a national fight to protect democratic values.
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