Kolkata, June 14 (IANS) Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Sunday claimed that not just 20 but there are total 22 party MPs, which are part of the party’s ‘rebel’ faction led by her.

The Trinamool MP made this claim while she was travelling to Delhi. There are reports that the ‘rebel’ Trinamool faction is holding a meeting there.

Kakoli Ghosh claimed that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will meet them on Monday when the rebel Trinamool MPs will submit a letter to him.

On Saturday, Kolkata Uttar MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay also joined the ‘rebel’ Trinamool bloc.

According to sources from a section of the ‘rebel’ Trinamool MPs, their meeting was supposed to be held in Kolkata on Sunday. Later, they were told that the meeting was taking place in Delhi.

West Bengal Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari was expected to be present there. However, it is reported that Adhikari is not travelling to Delhi as he is scheduled to attend the programme in Digha.

While on her way to Delhi, Kakoli Ghosh claimed that two more MPs are joining the ‘rebel’ Trinamool faction.

Speaking to media persons outside the Delhi airport, Kakoli Ghosh said, “I am going to Delhi for a meeting. Total 22 people are with us. Lok Sabha Speaker (Om Birla) has given us an appointment to meet on Monday. We will meet the Lok Sabha Speaker on Monday and demand the formation of a separate bloc.”

However, Kakoli Ghosh did not clarify which two Trinamool MPs are going to Delhi to join the ‘rebel’ party faction.

She said that when those MPs formally join the Trinamool rebel faction, media will be informed.

“Those who have honestly expressed their opinion against the situation that has happened in West Bengal in the last four to five years have been contacted. The number (in the rebel Trinamool faction) is 22,” she added.

The Trinamool Congress has been in turmoil since the recent Assembly elections in West Bengal were declared.

On June 1, a split in the Trinamool Congress’ Parliamentary Party was evident in the Lok Sabha.

Most of the Trinamool MPs have revolted against party supremo Mamata Banerjee’s control over the party.

When this ‘MP rebellion’ in the Trinamool Congress came to light on June 1, Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee were in Delhi.

On that day, Kakoli Ghosh, one of the frontrunners of the Trinamool rebel faction, claimed that they have the support of about 20 MPs.

They want to support the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

Meanwhile, a document with several signatures was made public on Friday. It had the signatures of 19 Trinamool MPs.

The first signature was that of Kakoli Ghosh, the second was of Satabdi Roy. Later, the signatures were signed by Bapi Halder, Sharmila Sarkar, Prasun Banerjee, Jagadish Basunia, Asit Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Deepak Adhikari alias Dev, June Malia, Partha Bhowmik, Khalilur Rahman, Abu Taher Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag and Mala Roy.

Party MPs Rachana Banerjee and Saayoni Ghosh also signed separately.

According to a source of the rebel MPs, Rachana Banerjee and Saayoni Ghosh signed later on the document.

It is known through sources that 19 rebel Trinamool MPs have written to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying that they should be considered as a separate bloc under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

Whether the Lok Sabha Speaker received this letter or not, and if so, when it was received, is not yet known.

It was already known through sources of the rebel Trinamool MPs that they have decided to support the BJP-led NDA alliance.

Kakoli Ghosh has claimed that the Speaker Om Birla has given the rebel Trinamool faction time on Monday, where they will formally demand the formation of a separate bloc.

It became clear on Saturday that Sudip Bandyopadhyay also joined rebel Trinamool faction, taking the total number of MPs to 20.

Now it has to be seen who are two MPs that Kakoli Ghosh claimed to have extended their support to the rebel Trinamool faction.

As of now, eight rebel Trinamool MPs who did not sign the document that has emerged were Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy, Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha, Pratima Mondal and Sajda Ahmed.

If Kakoli Ghosh’s claim is correct, then two more of these eight MPs could join the rebel Trinamool faction.

–IANS

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