The political crisis is worsening within the TMC as former West Bengal minister Udayan Guha was arrested over an alleged “cut money” case while a group of 20 rebel TMC MPs keeps pushing for merging their party with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). Their move is expected to augment the BJP-led NDA in Parliament. The two developing stories create new woes for TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, who is confronting one of her biggest internal rebellions.
Udayan Guha was arrested by the police on Wednesday in Cooch Behar district in connection with an offence in a case registered at Dinhata Police Station on 11 June. The First Information Report (FIR) was filed under sections 406, 409 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as it contains allegations of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and irregularities in the government welfare schemes.
The case was filed relating to allegations of “cut money” being collected from the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) between 2016 and following years.
What Are the Allegations Against Guha?
Allegations say that beneficiaries of central government schemes were made to pay money to access benefits. The issue has become politically sensitive in West Bengal, with BJP leaders repeatedly raising concerns over alleged mis-governance in welfare distribution.
CM Suvendu Adhikari had earlier alleged that authorities were protecting Guha in another case and approached Calcutta High Court for help.
A group of 20 TMC MPs in the Lok Sabha led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar at the same time has applied to merge with the NPCI. The dissident MPs wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla seeking recognition for the merger.
But a final verdict could take some time as the speaker has announced that he would first meet with the TMC leadership before making a decision.
There is also pressure on the TMC due to the arrest of a senior party leader and the prospect of a large parliamentary split. If the merger is approved, NDA’s size in Parliament could grow by many votes, making TMC’s ongoing rebellion one of the biggest political challenges it has faced in the last few years.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience reporting on Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes journalism plays a crucial role in amplifying unheard voices and bringing attention to issues that truly matter. Sofia has contributed articles to The New Indian Express, Youth Ki Awaaz, and Maktoob Media. She is also a recipient of the 2025 Laadli Media Awards for gender sensitivity. Beyond the newsroom, she is a music enthusiast who enjoys singing. Connect with Sofia on X:
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