The Trinamool Congress has raised objections to the timing of an email sent by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to party leader Abhishek Banerjee, claiming it deprived him of a fair opportunity to respond to a petition filed by rebel Members of Parliament seeking to split from the party. According to the Trinamool, the communication arrived on Monday morning while Banerjee was being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in Kolkata in connection with the alleged "signature scam" case. The email reportedly required a response by 4 pm the same day.

Party leaders argued that Banerjee remained at the Enforcement Directorate office until late Monday night and therefore had no practical access to his email account during the period provided for a reply. Trinamool MP Kirti Azad wrote to the office of Om Birla, stating that Banerjee could not review or respond to the communication while under interrogation. The party said it would inform Banerjee of the notice after the questioning concluded and questioned whether adequate time had been given for a response.

The controversy comes amid growing internal divisions within the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress following its electoral setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections. According to party sources, at least 19 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs have submitted a petition seeking to distance themselves from the Trinamool and align with the Bengal-based Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The number is significant because it exceeds the two-thirds threshold required under anti-defection provisions, potentially allowing the lawmakers to retain their parliamentary seats if a formal split takes place.

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The rebel faction reportedly includes several senior leaders who have demanded separate seating arrangements in Parliament ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session scheduled from July 21 to August 21. The petition is said to have been taken up by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, with sources indicating that the proposed merger process with the NCPI could be completed within days. The development has intensified speculation about a major realignment within West Bengal politics and poses a serious challenge to the Trinamool's unity.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee struck a defiant tone after emerging from the Enforcement Directorate questioning late Monday. He stated that he would cooperate with investigators if summoned again but insisted that neither he nor his party would surrender under pressure. Banerjee has also faced criticism from within the organisation, with some party members alleging that his leadership style contributed to the Trinamool's electoral defeat and subsequent internal unrest.

The extent of the party's internal conflict has become increasingly visible in recent weeks. Several lawmakers have reportedly rallied around dissident leaders, while veteran Trinamool figure Kalyan Banerjee publicly criticised Abhishek Banerjee's leadership, accusing him of damaging the party through what he described as an arrogant approach. The remarks have highlighted deepening divisions within the Trinamool Congress, placing additional pressure on Mamata Banerjee as she seeks to maintain control over the party during a period of significant political uncertainty.

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