TMC MP Kirti Azad alleged that Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey bribed TMC MPs to break away. Amidst these claims, Andhra Pradesh BJP MP CM Ramesh has claimed that he played a key role in breaking away Trinamool Congress MPs. However, TMC MP Mahua Moitra has dismissed CM Ramesh’s claims as boastful.
Updated: June 13, 2026, 12:31 PM IST
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TMC crisis: Who is the mastermind behind Operation TMC? Neither Nishikant Dubey nor Bhupendra Yadav, but from Andhra, his name is… (PTI)
Various theories are emerging regarding the ongoing rebellion within Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. While photographs surfaced in the media showing rebel TMC MPs meeting at Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav’s residence, TMC MP Kirti Azad, calling the rebels traitors, accused Jharkhand BJP MP Nishikant Dubey of being behind the entire incident. Kirti alleged that Dubey was arranging the money used to poach TMC MPs. Amidst all this rhetoric, a name has emerged that hadn’t gone unnoticed. CM Ramesh, a 61-year-old BJP MP from Andhra Pradesh, has claimed to have played a key role in poaching TMC MPs. Furthermore, CM Ramesh claims to have the ability to poach an MP from any party within a few hours.
Telugu-speaking MP claims, ‘I broke TMC’
According to Hindustan Times, CM Ramesh claimed that he had made the phone calls to most of the Trinamool Congress MPs. A businessman by profession, CM Ramesh also stated that the official in-charges of this entire operation were Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. For your information, CM Ramesh prefers to speak in Telugu rather than Hindi or English even in personal conversations.
CM Ramesh boastfully declared, “Persuading people is my skill. I just need a few hours and I can convince anyone to join the BJP.” He continued, “I’ve known most of the Trinamool Congress MPs for a long time. I meet them regularly in the Parliament canteen. Over the past few years, I’ve developed a special bond with them. That bond is certainly true.”
He claimed that when his son married in 2020, he invited MPs who dissented from the party line to events in Dubai and Hyderabad. Shatabdi Roy, a staunch Mamata Banerjee loyalist at the time but now a rebel, also attended the wedding party.
‘There was no mention of money in the deal’
BJP MP CM Ramesh also stated that no monetary deal was made to break TMC MPs. Regarding the rebellion of 19 Trinamool Congress MPs in the Lok Sabha and three in the Rajya Sabha, he said that no money was given to them. They were only assured of two things:
First, his parliamentary constituency will be taken care of, the central and state governments will carry out maximum development work in his area, so that his voters are not angry.
The second clause in the deal was that they would not be harassed not only by investigative agencies like the ED, but also by the local police and CID. In return, they would simply have to sign a line separating themselves from the TMC.
Ramesh reiterated that there was no mention of any money or posts in the deal. He emphasized that the claims made by TMC loyalists about the rebels were not true.
Mahua Moitra called the BJP MP’s claims boastful
TMC MP Mahua Moitra has dismissed the claims of Andhra Pradesh BJP MP CM Ramesh as mere boasting. Moitra said, “Ramesh is my friend, and I like him very much. But I will say that he likes to remain politically relevant. Some people like us are politically relevant because they are on the ground. Some people are politically relevant because they have a good network. Ramesh is one of them.”
Mahua Moitra further said, “CM Ramesh likes to prove his usefulness to his party, the BJP.” The TMC MP tried to explain the BJP MP’s claims with a story. She said, “Imagine a cake being baked. As soon as I find out, I think I need to add at least one raisin. Similarly, a Bengal cake is currently being baked. Ramesh is neither the baker nor does he have the ingredients, but he suddenly decided, ‘I have one or two raisins I want to add to the picture.’ And that’s how he came to make such claims.”
CM Ramesh had broken the TDP in 2019
Ramesh orchestrated a similar exit for the TDP in 2019. Just as Mamata Banerjee’s loss of power was the reason for TDP’s exit, in 2019, Ramesh’s then-boss Chandrababu Naidu lost power to Jagan Reddy. At that time, just as today, within a month, four of the TDP’s six MPs left the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Ramesh also says that Kakoli Ghosh, like some other TMC MPs, was already on the radar of law enforcement agencies before joining the BJP. Insiders found it strange that instead of throwing out the anti-defection rulebook and complaining to the House Chair, party boss Chandrababu Naidu remained silent. Of course, by the time the next elections come, he will become the BJP’s alliance partner.
CM Ramesh was also seen involved in Constitution Club elections
Recently, CM Ramesh also attended the Constitution Club elections, where the contest was between Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Sanjeev Baliyan. The latter was said to have the support of Home Minister Amit Shah. It was there that he first shook hands with Jharkhand BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Kirti Azad is again alleging that Dubey was involved in the split of TMC MPs.
A TMC Rajya Sabha MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We know that CM Ramesh was in touch with three TMC MPs at the time.” He also said that it was certain that Chief Minister Adhikari was the one who persuaded MPs like Mamata Banerjee’s confidante Sayoni Ghosh to sign. Many of them insisted on a personal meeting with him before agreeing. This happened at a dinner at Shatabdi Roy’s house on June 8, the same day the India Block partners met in Delhi.
