'Politically right, morally wrong; I miss you Didi': Shatabdi Roy's emotional message amid TMC revolt

Speaking to NDTV, Roy defended the decision of a group of 20 rebel Trinamool MPs to support the NDA in Parliament, while admitting that the move came at a personal cost.

"I feel politically I made the right decision... But emotionally and morally I'm wrong," Roy said.

When asked what she would like to say to Mamata Banerjee, the veteran MP offered a surprising response: "I miss you Didi!"

Shatabdi Roy with Mamata Banerjee during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign in Birbhum. Photo: Official Facebook

Rebel bloc backs NDA

Roy is deputy to rebel Trinamool parliamentary leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar in a dissident group that has formally written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, declaring support for the NDA in line with what they describe as the people's mandate.

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The development comes as the Trinamool Congress grapples with one of the biggest internal crises in its history following its crushing electoral defeat to the BJP.

While a parallel revolt has emerged in the West Bengal Assembly, where dozens of MLAs are reportedly backing first-time legislator Ritabrata Banerjee's claim to represent the "real Trinamool", the rebellion in Parliament has continued to gather momentum.

In recent days, senior leaders Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Sushmita Dev have resigned from the party, deepening concerns over an exodus from the organisation.

'Corruption alienated people from the party'

Roy was candid in her assessment of the reasons behind the party's electoral collapse, arguing that corruption had distanced voters from the Trinamool and widened the gap between party leaders and Mamata Banerjee.

According to Roy, the turning point came during a post-election review meeting convened by Banerjee after the defeat.

Recalling the meeting, Roy claimed that party leaders were unable to express their concerns openly.

"No one could tell their opinion. No, no, no one. She said, 'We are not defeated against BJP. They are threatening me'. She told me, 'If you have any problem, if you have a complaint, just write it down'. We don't have time to write. You have to take decision immediately," Roy told NDTV.

Points finger at I-PAC, Abhishek and corruption

Asked what corrective measures she expected from the leadership, Roy said the party had failed to honestly examine the causes of its defeat.

"First analyse why we were defeated. It is an I-PAC problem. It is an Abhishek problem. It is our corruption problem. Corruption is a huge problem. But she is not addressing that point," she said.

Roy added that the leadership's unwillingness to consider reforms convinced her that change was unlikely from within.

Rebel TMC leaders have blamed Abhishek Banerjee for the party's defeat in the Bengal assembly elections. Photo: Avishe Banerjee/IBNS

"That day, that time, I decided. The party does not want any changes, any new concept or any reshuffling. It's going to go on and on," she said.

TMC faces biggest challenge since defeat

Roy's remarks come at a time when the Trinamool Congress is struggling to contain multiple centres of dissent following its electoral setback.

What began as criticism of the party's performance has now evolved into an organised challenge to the existing leadership structure, both in Parliament and within the state unit.

Yet even as she accused the party leadership of ignoring corruption and resisting reform, Roy's emotional message to Mamata Banerjee underscored the personal bonds that still endure beneath the political rupture.

For a leader who entered politics under Banerjee's mentorship, the rebellion may be political — but, as Roy herself acknowledged, it remains deeply personal.