New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha asserted on Thursday that he would not abandon TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in difficult times, saying she had stood by him when he was going through a challenging phase in his political career.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from West Bengal’s Asansol said some people may have left Banerjee due to compulsions, fears or allurements, but his principled stand is that he would neither desert the party nor its leader.
“I am issuing a three-line whip to myself — I was with the TMC and Mamata ji, I am with the TMC and Mamata ji, and I will stay with the TMC and Mamata ji. I have no intention of going anywhere,” he said.
A three-line whip is typically issued by political parties before voting on important issues in Parliament.
Sinha’s assertion came after his name featured in a purported list of rebel TMC MPs circulating online. The former Union minister, who has been with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in past and was a cabinet minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, also posted on X on Thursday congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 12 years in office, further fuelling speculation.
Before joining the TMC, Sinha was also in the Congress.
“I will not leave Mamata Banerjee in her difficult times…. Very few people stood by me when I lost, or rather was made to lose the (Lok Sabha) polls (from Patna) in 2019, and Mamata Banerjee was one of them,” Sinha said.
The actor-turned politician fought the 2019 polls on a Congress ticket from the Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar, while his wife, Poonam Sinha, contested as the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
“In true sportsman spirit, wishing our friend and guide of society/nation hon’ble PM Narendra Modi best wishes on completing 12 yrs in office, perhaps the longest tenure, ever. Wish you a long, healthy and prosperous life ahead. Jai Hind!” Sinha said in a post on X.
He said while he has friends in all political parties, he would not abandon Banerjee.
“For the last few days, there has been a lot of speculation about me. Some are speaking the truth, while others are spreading rumours. Some have claimed that I have joined the so-called rebel group,” he said.
Stating that he is a “rebel by nature”, Sinha said he “always speaks the truth” and calls “a spade a spade”.
“So I am making myself clear…. Mamata ji was with me in my difficult times, I cannot desert her in her difficult times…. I won on the symbol of ‘jora-phul’ (TMC’s poll symbol), so it is my duty to back the TMC,” he said.
Sinha gave credit to the TMC, Banerjee and the people of Asansol for his victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and clarified that he has not joined the rebel camp, even though he was invited.
“My principle is very clear — when Mamata ji stood by me in my difficult times, it is now my duty to stand by her in this moment,” he stressed.
Sinha asserted that Banerjee is a street fighter and pointed out that the former West Bengal chief minister still commands a 41-per cent vote share in the state, even though her party lost the Assembly election last month.
“I am also grateful to those who invited me to join the TMC rebel group. Everyone is my friend, I have no complaints against them…. But my principled stand is that I should stand by Mamata Banerjee now. As of now, I will not change my path,” he said.
The TMC is facing a crisis following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls and a rebellion that has significantly weakened its organisational and legislative strength. Last week, more than two-thirds of the party’s MLAs — 58 out of 80 — broke away from the official TMC legislature party and secured recognition as the principal opposition bloc in the West Bengal Assembly under expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The rebel camp has since claimed that its strength has risen further.
The crisis later spread to Parliament, with rebel MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claiming the support of more than 20 Lok Sabha members. PTI BJ RC
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