Political warfare within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has intensified with rebel MPs going to court against Mahua Moitra for her allegations that they accepted large sums of money to leave the party.
According to sources, the group of 20 rebel MPs said they recently held a meeting and decided to file a defamation suit against Moitra, claiming that her remarks damaged their reputation and questioned their political integrity.
Cash-for-Defection Allegation Sparks Controversy
The controversy started after Moitra reactivated the debate following a statement by Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, who had claimed that Maharashtra MPs were being offered ₹15 crore each to switch political sides.
Moitra responded on X, saying that the rebel TMC MPs had allegedly received even larger incentives.
"Only 15 cr? Saste mein kyo jaa rahe hai? Believe ours got Rs 4 cr up front and Rs 1 cr a month for the next 36 months of term."
The post went viral and the rebel lawmakers were angry, and many have decided to challenge the claims in court.
TMC Rebels Plan Defamation Suit Against Mahua Moitra as Party Split Escalates Political warfare within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has intensified with rebel MPs going to court against Mahua Moitra for her allegations that they accepted large sums of money to leave the party. According to sources, the group of 20 rebel MPs said they recently held a meeting and decided to file a defamation suit against Moitra, claiming that her remarks damaged their reputation and questioned their political integrity.
Only ₹15 cr? Saste mein kyo jaa rahe hai? Believe ours got ₹4cr up front and ₹1cr a month for next 36 months of term. …. Honey plus Money.@uddhavthackeray @abhishekaitc https://t.co/Yl1ZXFxkC5
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 16, 2026
Cash-for-Defection Allegation Sparks Controversy
The controversy started after Moitra reactivated the debate following a statement by Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, who had claimed that Maharashtra MPs were being offered ₹15 crore each to switch political sides. Moitra responded on X, saying that the rebel TMC MPs had allegedly received even larger incentives. "Only 15 cr? Saste mein kyo jaa rahe hai? Believe ours got Rs 4 cr up front and Rs 1 cr a month for the next 36 months of term." The post went viral and the rebel lawmakers were angry, and many have decided to challenge the claims in court.
The Split That Shook the TMC
The allegations followed one of the biggest political setbacks in the history of the Trinamool Congress. Twenty of the 28 Lok Sabha members of the party, including Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, broke away from the party and announced the formation of a separate parliamentary group. The rebel MPs formally informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of their decision and declared support for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Dastidar said they made the decision after discussions in parliament. The group felt that it was needed to ensure that it would be aligned with the NDA’s future political direction but also to respect what it described as the people’s mandate, she said.
Why the Rebels Joined NCPI Instead of joining the BJP directly
The rebel MPs associated themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a political party based in Tripura. Political observers think that the move was done in order to avoid being disqualified under the anti-defection law. The rebels will try to protect themselves by forming a separate faction and claiming support from more than two-thirds of the parliamentary party, they insist, as the split is subject to constitutional scrutiny. The move reduced the TMC's strength in Lok Sabha from 28 MPs to just eight, marking one of the worst crises faced by the party since its formation in 1998.
Mahua Moitra Stands Firmly With Mamata Banerjee
During the current political unrest, Mahua Moitra has been one of the strongest voices to defend West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Moitra has repeatedly targeted leaders who joined the rebel camp, accusing them of surviving politically because of Banerjee's popularity. She recently described several rebel leaders as “completely useless” politicians and questioned their contribution to the party’s growth. And her criticism is not limited to senior leaders.
Yusuf Pathan Also Drawn Into the Dispute
Yusuf Pathan, former Indian cricketer and Baharampur MP, also found himself in the middle of the controversy after sections of the TMC accused him of sympathizing with the rebel faction. Moitra publicly questioned Pathan after reports emerged that he had responded to a summons from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She urged him to display the same courage he had shown during his cricketing career and criticized what she felt was political ambiguity at a crucial moment for the party.
Battle for Control of the Party Intensifies
The latest legal spat is taking place as the Trinamool Congress has been squabbling with each other for control of the party. Earlier, expelled TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha claimed that they had the support of 60 legislators while simultaneously reaffirming Mamata Banerjee as the party's leader. The rebel faction has said it has crossed the two-thirds threshold under anti-defection provisions, and that could play a role in any future legal or electoral struggle. If recognized, the numbers would be crucial in determining the legitimacy of the split and any potential claim over the party's election symbol. Now that the defamation case is on the way, the political conflict might move beyond Parliament in the future into the courts and add another chapter to one of the most dramatic crises in the Trinamool Congress’s history.
The Split That Shook the TMC
The allegations followed one of the biggest political setbacks in the history of the Trinamool Congress.
Twenty of the 28 Lok Sabha members of the party, including Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, broke away from the party and announced the formation of a separate parliamentary group. The rebel MPs formally informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of their decision and declared support for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Dastidar said they made the decision after discussions in parliament. The group felt that it was needed to ensure that it would be aligned with the NDA’s future political direction but also to respect what it described as the people’s mandate, she said.
Why the Rebels Joined NCPI
Instead of joining the BJP directly, the rebel MPs associated themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a political party based in Tripura.
Political observers think that the move was done in order to avoid being disqualified under the anti-defection law. The rebels will try to protect themselves by forming a separate faction and claiming support from more than two-thirds of the parliamentary party, they insist, as the split is subject to constitutional scrutiny.
The move reduced the TMC's strength in Lok Sabha from 28 MPs to just eight, marking one of the worst crises faced by the party since its formation in 1998.
Mahua Moitra Stands Firmly With Mamata Banerjee
During the current political unrest, Mahua Moitra has been one of the strongest voices to defend West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Moitra has repeatedly targeted leaders who joined the rebel camp, accusing them of surviving politically because of Banerjee's popularity.
She recently described several rebel leaders as “completely useless” politicians and questioned their contribution to the party’s growth. And her criticism is not limited to senior leaders.
Yusuf Pathan Also Drawn Into the Dispute
Yusuf Pathan, former Indian cricketer and Baharampur MP, also found himself in the middle of the controversy after sections of the TMC accused him of sympathizing with the rebel faction. Moitra publicly questioned Pathan after reports emerged that he had responded to a summons from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
She urged him to display the same courage he had shown during his cricketing career and criticized what she felt was political ambiguity at a crucial moment for the party.
Battle for Control of the Party Intensifies
The latest legal spat is taking place as the Trinamool Congress has been squabbling with each other for control of the party.
Earlier, expelled TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha claimed that they had the support of 60 legislators while simultaneously reaffirming Mamata Banerjee as the party's leader. The rebel faction has said it has crossed the two-thirds threshold under anti-defection provisions, and that could play a role in any future legal or electoral struggle.
If recognized, the numbers would be crucial in determining the legitimacy of the split and any potential claim over the party's election symbol. Now that the defamation case is on the way, the political conflict might move beyond Parliament in the future into the courts and add another chapter to one of the most dramatic crises in the Trinamool Congress’s history.
