20 rebel MPs of Trinamool Congress (TMC) are preparing to take legal action against party MP Mahua Moitra. According to sources, the rebel group has decided to file a defamation case after Mahua's allegation that he had promised to pay a bribe of Rs 40 crore to the MPs who switched sides. He had claimed that the MPs had been sold for Rs 40 crores. On which the MPs have expressed their displeasure.
According to sources, the rebel MPs held a meeting and decided to file a defamation case against Mahua Moitra for claiming that she was offered money in exchange for leaving the party. MPs have called Mahua's claim false and insulting.
In fact, Mahua Moitra had alleged that the 20 MPs who left TMC would be given Rs 4 crore in advance and Rs 1 crore each every month in the remaining 36 months. Moitra had said that the MPs have been sold for Rs 40 crore each. Everyone has been given an advance of Rs 4 crore each.
His statement came in response to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's claim in which Raut had said that Maharashtra MPs were being offered Rs 15 crore to switch sides. In response to this, Mahua shared a post on social media on June 17, in which he said, 'Only Rs 15 crore? Why going cheap? Believe me, we got Rs 4 crore in advance and will get Rs 1 crore every month for the next 36 months. Money along with honey.
Only ₹15 cr? Why are you going cheap? Believe ours got ₹4cr up front and ₹1cr a month for next 36 months of term. . Honey plus Money.@uddhavthackeray @abhishekaitc https://t.co/Yl1ZXFxkC5
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 16, 2026
This controversy has come to light after a major rift in TMC's Lok Sabha unit. In which, under the leadership of Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, 20 out of 28 Lok Sabha MPs of the party have separated and formed a separate group. The rebel MPs wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and announced their decision to side with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Dastidar said that this step was taken after consultation with fellow MPs and he sees a future with the NDA by accepting the public mandate.
To avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law, all the MPs joined Tripura-based 'Nationalist Citizens Party of India' (NCPI). At present this group has not directly joined BJP, but is supporting NDA. Due to this breakdown, TMC's strength in the Lok Sabha has reduced to only 8 MPs. This is considered to be the biggest blow to the party since its formation in 1998.
Even amidst this political crisis, Mahua Moitra is completely standing with Mamata Banerjee and is continuously making sharp attacks on the rebel group. He described the rebel leaders as completely useless leaders who were dependent on the popularity of Banerjee.
He also sharply criticized Baharampur MP and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan. Pathan was accused of supporting the rebel camp. Mahua raised questions on Pathan's reply to the summons of Home Minister Amit Shah and asked him to show courage for his cricket career.
