Basunia claims support of 19 MPs, seeks recognition for rebel TMC faction

Dissident TMC MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia said a rebel faction claiming the support of 19 Lok Sabha members will meet Speaker Om Birla on Monday to seek recognition as the "real TMC" amid growing turmoil within the party

New Delhi: Dissident TMC MPs will meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to stake a claim to be recognised as the “real TMC”, rebel MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia said on Friday, claiming that 19 Lok Sabha members are currently backing the faction.

Basunia, the MP from Cooch Behar and among the lawmakers seeking to support the NDA in the Lok Sabha, told PTI Videos that the group would meet the Speaker on Monday.

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“On Monday, we will go to the Speaker, and we have made a claim regarding forming the real TMC group. We will ask the Speaker to give recognition to our claim,” Basunia said.

Sources said the timing of the meeting is yet to be finalised.

Asked about senior Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee’s remarks on Abhishek Banerjee, Basunia said, “He is saying the right thing. We support Kalyan ji’s statement.”

The TMC plunged into a crisis following the party’s defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and rebellion by a large section of its legislators. The turmoil later spread to Parliament.