Mamata Banerjee Returns to Address Party Discipline Amid Growing Concerns Over MLAs’ Absenteeism

As Trinamool Congress (TMC) president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee returns from her London visit, she is met with an urgent internal crisis—disciplining her party’s absentee MLAs. The issue, which has been simmering for some time, escalated when over 100 of the party’s 220 legislators failed to attend the final day of the Budget Session on March 20, despite a whip being issued.

Growing Concerns Over Indiscipline

The TMC leadership is alarmed at the rising trend of MLAs ignoring attendance directives. While the whip ensured participation on March 19, with Mamata still in India, the numbers sharply declined the next day in her absence. A senior party leader admitted frustration, stating, “Nobody seems to care anymore.”

To make matters worse, scrutiny of attendance records revealed that several MLAs signed in but did not attend the session. “Some are now insisting they were present and even giving detailed descriptions of the proceedings,” an incredulous senior MLA remarked.

This absenteeism nearly led to a parliamentary debacle. “Only around 60 MLAs were in the Assembly on March 20. Had the BJP not staged a walkout, and instead demanded a vote on the finance Bills, we might have lost,” a legislator revealed. Failure to pass a finance Bill is considered a technical vote of no-confidence, which could have had serious implications for the government.

Disciplinary Action on the Horizon?

TMC Chief Whip Nirmal Ghosh has formally sought a final list of absentee MLAs from the Speaker’s office. Mamata Banerjee is expected to deliberate on the matter with party leaders on Saturday. However, given the upcoming festivals—Eid, Basanti Puja, and Ram Navami—the crackdown may be postponed until early April, offering the errant MLAs a temporary reprieve.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay confirmed that disciplinary action is under consideration. “I have asked Ghosh to submit a report on the absences. The party’s disciplinary committee will then decide the appropriate course of action,” he stated.

Excuses Pour In

Many MLAs have already begun submitting explanations for their absence, citing personal, medical, or official reasons.

• Udayan Guha (Minister, North Bengal Development): “I had family responsibilities and informed the party well in advance.”
• Paresh Paul (Beleghata MLA): “I was seriously ill and bedridden. My party colleagues were aware of this.”
• Sangita Basunia (Sitai MLA): “I suffered an injury on March 16 while traveling. On March 19, I had to attend a Panchayat Samiti meeting to elect a new sabhapati, so I couldn’t go to the Assembly.”

While these justifications may be genuine, the party leadership is aware that many MLAs have been habitually absent without valid reasons.

A Recurring Problem

This is not the first time the TMC has struggled with absenteeism. In September 2023, faced with a similar issue, the party introduced dual attendance registers—one in the Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s office and another with the Chief Whip. A weekly attendance report was to be sent directly to Mamata Banerjee to ensure stricter monitoring. However, in practice, these measures have lost their effectiveness, with MLAs often signing in but leaving shortly thereafter.

A TMC leader admitted, “The attendance registers have become mere formalities. The March 20 incident showed how little some MLAs care about legislative responsibilities.”

BJP Takes a Dig at TMC

Predictably, the BJP has seized the opportunity to criticize the ruling party’s internal disarray. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul mocked the situation, stating, “TMC MLAs are more focused on personal gains and corruption than on the state’s development. They don’t even respect their own leadership’s whip.”

With elections less than a year away, Mamata Banerjee faces a growing challenge in maintaining discipline within her ranks. In 2023, the party was dealing with around 50 absentee MLAs—this number has now doubled. As she returns from her overseas trip, Mamata must quickly reassert control over her party before the cracks widen further.