Leaked WhatsApp chats bring infighting among TMC MPs to fore

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In the chats shared by the BJP’s West Bengal co-in-charge Amit Malviya, Banerjee and Azad were seen sparring, reflecting internal divisions in the party.

Malviya, while sharing the chats, also recalled an April 4 incident involving an alleged altercation between Banerjee and another Trinamool MP over the names of signatories on a petition to be submitted to the Election Commission.

The BJP leader said, “On April 4, 2025, two TMC MPs had a public spat at the headquarters of the Election Commission of India, where they had gone to submit a representation.”

“It appears the party had instructed its MPs to gather at the Parliament office to sign the memorandum before proceeding to the EC. However, the MP carrying the memorandum skipped the Parliament meeting and went directly to the EC. This angered another MP, who confronted him when they came face to face at the EC office. A heated exchange followed, with the two shouting at each other — so much so that one of them asked the police personnel present to intervene,” Malviya claimed.

He said later Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asked both MPs to stand down. “But the feud didn’t end there. It spilled over into the ‘AITC MP 2024’ WhatsApp group, where warring camps took sides and traded barbs. And in the middle of it all, the question still lingers: who exactly is the “versatile international lady”? That mystery is one for the world to unravel,” Malviya said referring to the chats where Banerjee is speaking about a “versatile international lady”.

Two TMC MPs, when contacted, admitted that there was a fracas outside the EC office, but declined to elaborate.

Meanwhile, Veteran TMC MP Sougata Roy said party's Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra was seen crying after a spat with colleague Kalyan Banerjee before a TMC delegation met the Election Commission last week.

Roy further accused Banerjee of being "uncivilised" on multiple occasions and mentioned that during a JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill, the Serampore MP broke a bottle and threw it at the chairman of the panel.

He also demanded that Banerjee be removed as the party's chief whip in the House over behavioural issues.

A section of the TMC leaders privately said the episode was avoidable with Assembly elections due in the state next year.