Defected MPs 'gaddar team', TMC is led by Mamata: Saugata Roy

Business To Business, Kolkata, 16^th June, 2026:    Saugata Roy on Tuesday strongly criticized the rebel faction within the All India Trinamool Congress, describing it as a group of "traitors" and alleging that the defecting MPs were acting at the behest of the BJP-led NDA.
Reacting to the ongoing split in the party, Roy said:
"There are two teams -- the TMC team and the gaddar (traitor) team."
The remarks come amid a deepening crisis within the TMC after a group of dissident MPs claimed the support of two-thirds of the party's Lok Sabha members and announced plans to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India.
The rebel camp has also indicated its intention to support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
Roy's statement reflects the stance of the faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee, which has accused the rebels of betraying the party's mandate and working in coordination with political opponents.
The loyalist camp maintains that the defectors have abandoned the party's principles and leadership at a time of organizational turmoil.
The split has triggered one of the most significant internal crises in the TMC's history and could have implications for:

• The party's strength in the Lok Sabha.
• Opposition politics at the national level.
• The future leadership structure of the TMC.
• Political alignments in West Bengal.