Phones switched off, MPs missing: Mamata's Delhi headache deepens

The internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) appears to be taking a new turn, with signs of unease now emerging in the party's parliamentary ranks in Delhi.

According to multiple media reports, around 20 of the TMC's 28 Lok Sabha MPs are currently staying at an undisclosed location in the national capital.

The development comes at a time when former West Bengal Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee, along with TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, is in Delhi to participate in a meeting of the INDIA bloc.

The reports have gained further attention after claims that several TMC MPs could not be reached by senior party leaders.

Sources quoted by various media outlets alleged that some parliamentarians had switched off their mobile phones and were avoiding communication, fuelling speculation of simmering dissatisfaction within the party.

Adding to the intrigue, a senior TMC MP reportedly travelling from Mumbai to Kolkata made an unscheduled halt in Delhi on Sunday evening.

During the stopover, the parliamentarian is said to have held a series of private meetings away from public attention. The MP reportedly represents a constituency in the Kolkata metropolitan region.

Sources also indicated that dissatisfaction may not be limited to a handful of leaders.

A section of MPs from different regions of West Bengal is believed to be unhappy over organisational decisions and the party's current functioning.

An actor-turned-MP who reached Delhi on Sunday has also been linked to reports of growing distance from the party leadership.

At least two MPs from North Bengal are also said to be dissatisfied with the party's direction, according to reports.

The developments have intensified political chatter about possible factionalism within the TMC at a crucial juncture.

However, TMC leaders have downplayed the speculation. Party functionaries have reportedly attributed the movements of MPs to routine travel schedules, transit arrangements and logistical reasons linked to their presence in Delhi.

Despite the explanations, the reports have sparked fresh discussions about internal cohesion within the ruling West Bengal party, particularly after recent political developments in the state.

With Mamata Banerjee and the party leadership in Delhi, attention is now focused on whether the reported discontent translates into a larger organisational challenge for the TMC.