Major Blow to West Bengal TMC: Dissident Leaders Shift to Registered Tripura Party, Join Nationalist Party of India (Tripura)
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, June 15, 2026
A major political setback has emerged for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal as a section of dissident leaders and former functionaries have announced their decision to join a little-known registered political party in Tripura. The development has triggered fresh political discussions over the future of TMC’s organisational structure in West Bengal and the growing dissatisfaction among some of its leaders.
According to information available from the Election Commission, the party being joined by the dissidents is Nationalist Party of India (Tripura), a registered political outfit that has virtually no electoral presence in the state. The party had contested the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections in a handful of constituencies but failed to secure victory in any seat and polled only a negligible share of votes.
The decision reportedly came after consultations between the dissident TMC leaders and BJP’s senior political strategist.
Sources indicate that discussions have been taking place for several days, with multiple meetings reportedly held to explore future political alignments.
The Nationalist Party of India (Tripura) was originally formed with a focus on indigenous tribal issues. However, over the years the organisation lost much of its ground-level influence and presently has little visible political activity. Despite its registered status, the party has remained largely absent from mainstream electoral politics.
Political observers believe the move could be part of a broader strategy aimed at weakening the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Tipra Motha in Tripura by encouraging defections and creating alternative political platforms for dissatisfied leaders. The development comes at a time when TMC is facing internal challenges in several regions.
The rebellion is being viewed as particularly significant because it involves leaders who were associated with TMC’s organisational expansion efforts in Tripura. Their exit may further reduce the party’s already limited influence in the northeastern state.
Analysts point out that the dissident leaders had few viable political options. Direct entry into the BJP could have been politically sensitive, while joining Congress or Left parties may not have provided them with sufficient political space. The relatively obscure Nationalist Party of India (Tripura) thus appears to have emerged as a convenient platform for regrouping.
The development has also reignited discussions over the long-term political future of TMC in Tripura. Since its aggressive expansion drive in the state ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, the party has struggled to establish a sustainable grassroots organisation. Several prominent leaders who had initially joined the party have either become inactive or shifted political allegiance.
Political commentators suggest that the latest defections may not have a major electoral impact in Tripura, given TMC’s limited support base in the state. However, the episode carries symbolic significance because it reflects continuing efforts by rival political forces to challenge Mamata Banerjee’s political influence beyond West Bengal.
For now, the dissident leaders have formally announced their decision after meeting party office-bearers, while political circles in both Tripura and West Bengal are closely watching whether the move remains an isolated incident or develops into a larger realignment in the coming months.
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