Mamata Banerjee is fighting to hold the Trinamool Congress together after the party's crushing defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, where the BJP won 207 of 294 seats. Rebel MLAs and MPs are now staking a claim to the 'real TMC' with apparent BJP backing.
The Indira Gandhi Parallel
The closest parallel in Indian political history is Indira Gandhi, who was expelled from the Congress twice — in 1969 and 1978 — and returned from both to dominate Indian politics. But Indira always retained national stature and mass appeal.
Mamata's Challenges
Mamata is out of government, out of resources, and fighting on a single front. Can she do what Indira did — win the people after losing the party? Shreya Chandra breaks down the history and the comparison.
Indira Gandhi's first expulsion came in 1969 when the Congress split into the Congress (R) and Congress (O). She emerged stronger and won the 1971 elections. The second expulsion was in 1978 after the Emergency, but she made a stunning comeback in 1980.
Mamata Banerjee, however, faces a different scenario. Her party has lost power in West Bengal, and she lacks the national footprint that Indira had. The TMC's strength is concentrated in one state, making it harder to rebuild.
Only time will tell if Mamata can replicate Indira's resilience. The coming weeks will be crucial as the TMC navigates internal dissent and external pressure.
