Rebel Trinamool MPs plan to sue Mahua Moitra over 'Rs 40 crore bribe' claim
Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs are likely to initiate legal action against party colleague Mahua Moitra over her allegation that parliamentarians who switched sides
Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs are likely to initiate legal action against party colleague Mahua Moitra over her allegation that parliamentarians who switched sides were 'bribed' to the tune of Rs 40 crore, sources told India Today TV. According to sources, the MPs held a meeting and decided to file a defamation suit against Moitra for claiming that they were offered money in exchange for leaving the party. Read Full Story Moitra, a vocal supporter of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had alleged that the 20 MPs were paid Rs 4 crore upfront, followed by Rs 1 crore every month for 36 months. Her remarks came in response to Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut's claim that Maharashtra MPs were allegedly being offered Rs 15 crore each to switch sides.
"Only 15 cr? Saste mein kyo jaa rahe hai? Believe ours got Rs 4 cr up front and Rs 1 cr a month for next 36 months of term," Moitra had posted on X on June 17. Only 15 cr? Saste mein kyo jaa rahe hai? Believe ours got 4cr up front and 1cr a month for next 36 months of term.. Honey plus Money.@uddhavthackeray @abhishekaitc Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 16, 2026 The allegations came after a major split in the TMC's parliamentary unit, with 20 of its 28 Lok Sabha MPs, led by Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, breaking away and forming a separate group. The rebel MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, announcing their decision to align themselves with the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA). Dastidar said the move was taken after consultations with fellow MPs, adding that they had accepted the people's mandate and believed their future political path should be aligned with the NDA.
The MPs have joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a Tripura-based political outfit, in a move aimed at avoiding disqualification under the anti-defection law. The faction has not immediately joined the BJP but has extended support to the NDA. The split reduced the TMC's Lok Sabha strength to eight MPs and marked one of the biggest setbacks for the party since its formation in 1998. Moitra has remained firmly aligned with Mamata Banerjee amid the political crisis and has launched repeated attacks on leaders who sided with the rebel faction. She recently described the rebel leaders as "completely useless" politicians who had survived on Banerjee's popularity. She also criticised Baharampur MP and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan after he was accused by the TMC of siding with the rebel camp.
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