Parliamentary commerce panel meets in Raipur to discuss trade issues

Story by ANI | Posted by Ashhar Alam | Date 12-06-2026

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Chairperson Dola Sen

Raipur (Chhattisgarh)

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Dola Sen, who led the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce during its visit to Raipur on Friday, declined to comment when asked about reports concerning 19 TMC MPs who have reportedly submitted their names to the Lok Sabha Speaker's Office.

The development comes amid an ongoing rebellion and a series of resignations within the TMC. According to sources, 19 breakaway MPs, including senior leaders Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy, submitted their names to the Lok Sabha Speaker's Office on May 18.

The list 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.

The committee, comprising members from various political parties, held discussions on trade, exports, and sector-specific issues during its Chhattisgarh visit.

The committee delegation included BJP MPs Rahul Sinha and Santosh Pandey, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury, and MP Anita Subhadarshini, among others.

Speaking to ANI, BJP MP Santosh Pandey said that detailed deliberations were held on trade-related issues during the committee's visit.

"The Parliamentary Committee on Commerce was here in Raipur, and they are departing for Bhubaneswar today. Detailed discussions were held on various subjects, including the performance of our trade amidst the global situation and the nature of our trade relations with numerous countries worldwide," said Santosh Pandey.

Commenting on the ongoing TMC political crisis, Pandey said that the current number of rebel Lok Sabha MPs within the party is 19, however, the number is higher than the speculation.

"It appears to be 19, though the number could be higher based on current speculation. It has become clear across the country that those who cross the line or commit wrongdoing will have to face the consequences; the people of West Bengal have demonstrated this," said Pandey.

Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury highlighted the development potential of Chhattisgarh, particularly in the field of organic farming.

"There is immense potential for development here in Chhattisgarh, and there are organic farming regions that are considered very significant to us; we hope everything goes well and progresses," said Chowdhury.

Reacting to the rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination, Chowdhury alleged political interference.

"It is a conspiracy. It is no longer just about stealing votes; now, seats are being stolen too. Wherever they see a vacant seat of power, they move in and seize the government... We will fight to the very end, but we will not compromise... This is a conspiracy, and the government should be ashamed of engaging in such actions and behaviour," said the Congress MP.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Rahul Sinha said the committee visited the Bhilai Steel Plant and held extensive discussions on issues concerning the steel sector.

"We toured the Bhilai Steel Plant and held comprehensive discussions regarding the steel sector. We deliberated on various points--ranging from agriculture to other key issues--and listened to everyone's views... Now, we are heading to Bhubaneswar for further discussions on the steel industry," he said.

BJP MP Anita Subhadarshini said that while concerns remain regarding trade relations and tariff-related issues between India and the United States, the situation in Chhattisgarh was better than initially anticipated.

"While there are ongoing issues regarding the trade relationship and tariffs between India and the US, the situation in Chhattisgarh is not as problematic as we had initially perceived. However, the government will definitely pay attention to the points raised concerning products and exports," she told ANI.

The Parliamentary Committee is scheduled to travel to Bhubaneswar for further consultations, including discussions related to the steel industry and other trade-related matters.