New Delhi

Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebel MP Jagadish Barma Basunia on Friday launched a scathing attack on the party leadership, alleging that there was "no willingness within the party to speak up or listen to others" and asserting that the breakaway faction had decided to align itself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Basunia is among the group of 20 MPs who have distanced themselves from the Mamata Banerjee-led party following the TMC's disappointing performance in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The dissident lawmakers had earlier approached the Lok Sabha Speaker's office seeking separate seating arrangements in Parliament.

Speaking to ANI, Basunia claimed that the internal crisis stemmed from the leadership's refusal to consult elected representatives and grassroots leaders.

"The number could be higher; 19 people have done this, and more might follow. The issue lies in the way the TMC operates. Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee, and other party leaders or public representatives don't listen to anyone," he said.

The rebel MP linked the party's electoral setback directly to what he described as a centralised decision-making process during candidate selection.

"In the recent Assembly elections, where the party lost, the process of selecting candidates should have involved consulting MPs, local leaders, or senior leaders. Our party leadership didn't consult anyone. They, along with I-PAC, selected the candidates themselves," Basunia alleged.

According to him, the absence of internal democracy compelled the group to seek an alternative political path focused on development.

"Since there is no willingness within the party to speak up or listen to others, we have decided to align ourselves with development and with PM Narendra Modi," he said.

Explaining the rationale behind supporting the NDA, Basunia argued that development of their constituencies required cooperation with the Centre.

"We were elected for the sake of development. If we want development and care about the local population, we must align ourselves with the forces that drive development. Currently, we are not with the TMC, nor are we part of the State or Central governments. However, development requires the cooperation of both the State and Central governments. So, if we align with or support the Central government, we can facilitate some development for the area; that is why we will join forces with the NDA," he said.

Basunia further alleged that leaders who questioned the party's functioning were systematically sidelined.

"We did raise our voices in 2019 and spoke up at major meetings, but she doesn't listen. If anyone speaks out too much, they get sidelined; they are removed from the post they hold. There is no freedom of speech. As an MP, I have no independence; I don't get the opportunity," he claimed.

Responding to remarks made by senior TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee, Basunia said, "People don't really listen to the very senior leaders associated with Mamata Banerjee anymore."

The current rebellion traces its origins to May 18, when 19 MPs, including senior leaders Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy, submitted their names to the Lok Sabha Speaker's office seeking separate recognition within the House.

The dissident group reportedly includes Bapi Haldar, Dr Sharmila Sarkar, Prasun Bandyopadhyay, Jagadish Barma Basunia, Asit Kumar Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Rachna Banerjee, Saayoni Ghosh, Khalilur Rahaman, Abu Taher Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag, Mala Roy, Kalipada Soren, Deepak Adhikari, June Malia, and Partha Bhowmick, among others.

Earlier, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar had confirmed that the group had formally sought separate seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha, signalling an organisational split in the party's parliamentary ranks.

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The rebellion comes amid growing unrest within the TMC following its poor showing in the West Bengal Assembly elections, widening the rift between sections of the party leadership and the central leadership headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.