‘Not part of it’: Trinamool MP Pratima Mondal denies joining rebel bloc, says name included without her knowledge

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Pratima Mondal on Thursday dismissed reports claiming that she was among the 20 MPs allegedly forming a rebel bloc within the party and aligning with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Speaking to reporters, Mondal denied being part of any such group and said her name had been included without her knowledge or consent.

“I am not a part of the new bloc that has been presented by some other MPs of the Trinamool Congress. I do not know why my name is being included. I have not signed any paper, nor am I associated with that group in any way,” she said.

On party chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent visit to Delhi, during which she met senior leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, she said: “Mamata Didi went to Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi and other leaders of the INDIA bloc. The alliance is united and will continue to fight together against the Centre. After the meeting, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi also held discussions.”

On Mamata Banerjee’s role in national politics, Mondal said she believed the Trinamool supremo could play a significant role in strengthening the opposition.

“I feel that if Mamata Banerjee comes forward and takes a larger role in the fight, the situation for the opposition will improve in the future. The public also wants this,” she said.

Asked about the possibility of a closer relationship between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, Mondal noted Banerjee’s political roots were in the Congress.

“She was earlier a part of the Congress before forming her own party. If at any point she wishes to merge with the Congress, it would only be a positive development,” she added.

Her remarks come amid intense political speculation over reports of a possible split within the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party. However, Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal, on Thursday termed the reports “rumours”.

The Trinamool had won 28 of West Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats in the last general election. However, with the Basirhat seat currently vacant, the party’s effective strength in the Lok Sabha stands at 27.

According to reports, around 20 MPs have indicated their intention to distance themselves from the party’s organisational leadership and function as a separate group in Parliament while extending support to the NDA.

The reported development is being viewed in the context of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, commonly known as the Anti-Defection Law. Under its provisions, a split within a legislature party is recognised only if it is supported by at least two-thirds of its members.

With the Trinamool’s current strength at 27 MPs, a minimum of 19 members would be required to meet the two-thirds threshold and avoid disqualification under anti-defection provisions.

Sources claim that the dissident group has the support of around 20 MPs, which, if formally established, would place it above the required constitutional benchmark.

The proposed bloc is not expected to merge directly with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Instead, it is likely to function as an independent parliamentary group that supports the NDA on key legislative matters.

Such a development could have significant implications for parliamentary arithmetic. The NDA currently enjoys the support of 293 members in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The backing of an additional 20-member bloc could further strengthen the ruling alliance’s position on several important legislative proposals.

Among the key Bills that could benefit from enhanced support are those related to delimitation, the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures, the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill on simultaneous elections, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which are currently at various stages of consideration.

IANS