India First: TMC Faces Massive Rebellion As MLAs Skip Mamata Banerjee's Protest | Trump Vs Natanyahu

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:01]Good evening. You're watching India first. I'm Gorav Savant. It's Ka Hobe Pro Max in Bengal and that's our top focus story on India first. Less than 10 MLAs. 10 of 80 Thurmul Congress MLAs showed up for West Bengal. Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Thurmul Congress Chief Mtab Banerjee's protest rally in Kolkata today. By some accounts initially there were about five and six then another two or three they came up but remember of 80 there were just about eight and as Ma Banerjee pledged leng at this protest rally majority of the newly elected TMC MLAs were not by her side and this isn't the first time that a meeting called by Mab Banerjee saw such poor attendance of her MLAs take for example the 6th of May 10 MLAs did not show up. Then 19th of May, that number went up to 35. 35 of 80 MLAs did not show up. Then the 31st of May, 60 of the 80 MLAs were not there. And just a couple of hours ago, 2nd of June, 72 of 80 MLAs were not there by her side at this very crucial protest that she called after Abhishek Banerjee was targeted. And to add to her troubles, MLAs stay away. C gives the TMC very little space. The C, the criminal investigation department of the Bengal police, they've intensified their investigation into the alleged fake signatures on that letter that nominated Shane Chhatopadia as the leader of opposition and Firhadim as the chief whip of the TMC because within the TMC there are MLA saying this does not have our signature. Our signatures were forged or words to that effect. So will it be kaob promax in Bengal with reports that more than 50 TMC MLAs are exploring the possibility of declaring themselves to be the TMC or the real TMC and then staking claim to nominate Retabra Bandupadhya as the leader of opposition in the assembly. TMC leaders alleged that this is part of BJP's operation lotus in the state and the Maharashtra model that the shifts was split and the real shifts was not of Udhav Takra but a different shindai was was given the title the chief minister the symbol and the name of the party that model is being tried out in Bengal so we'll get you a 360 degree perspective on this Big story also coming up at 8:30 tonight. Yogi G Mard say criminals carrying placards and I'll just show you that image. These are criminals. They're carrying placards in Uttar Pradesh. They've pledged to quit crime and reform. This is happening in Uttar Pradesh and some of them are registered history cheaters. So Yogi Aditan announced zero tolerance for crime in the state. Remember there have been a series of encounters and half encounters and three fourth encounters uh whatever that may mean but several history shooters were caught on camera holding placard saying forgive us requesting the chief minister to forgive them watch that shama is what these criminals are saying the history cheaters according to police reports are about 150 number who've pledged to abandon a life of crime I get you that story at 8:30 tonight and also coming up on the show. Reports from the United States say there were heated exchanges between US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel's commitment to intensify ground operations against the Hisbollah in Lebanon, including clearance to ground operations to target Hezbollah in their stronghold in Dahier in the southern part of capital Beirut.

[00:03:56]As of now, that's not happening. But then heated exchange between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

[00:04:03]Reports say Israel's intense bombing in the past 24 hours. Iran has decided to stop negotiations with the US Houthi forces in Yemen. They have said that if these attacks against Hezbollah or the resistance forces continue then Houthi forces will now block the Babal Mandab and they'll block the Sway Canal and that would be a disaster for world economy with the state of Homus already blocked. We'll get you that story at 8:35 tonight. But first, I want to take you to our top story. Our top story is from West Bengal. It's Kila Hobe Pro Max in Bengal. This is the fourth time that a large number of TMC MLAs, newly elected TMC MLAs, stayed away from a meeting called by Trmul Congress Chief Maab Banerjee. The numbers are rising from 35 to 60. Now, more than 70 of 80 MLAs have stayed away from a protest rally. In fact, suspended TMC spokesperson Riu Duta has said about 50 MLAs have held a secret meeting and they are backing expelled TMC MLA Rabata Banerjee as the leader of the real Trin or the Asli Tranmu in the state assembly. They will stake claim as the Ashley TMC on the floor of the house. At least that's a possibility that's being explored. Those close to Ma Banerjee say this is part of BJP's operation lotus in Bengal. They're trying to implement the Maharashtra model in Bengal. Ma Banerji of course remains extremely combative.

[00:05:28]At her protest rally, she said this is a do or die battle and for her it's a fight to finish the BJP and she intends to carry out that fight. But imagine in the autumn of her political life she is fighting most of the MLAs and this is something that TMC leaders themselves say that she campaigned for you. You did not win as independence.

[00:05:51]You all fought and won together because of Ma Banerjee and now you have abandoned her. Is this the biggest crisis she faces or the Trinul Congress faces since the birth of the party? Our Bengal bureau brings you our top story tonight.

[00:06:13]Sharp descent, threat of a split.

[00:06:16]Perhaps this is Tidi's biggest challenge yet. Mohammad Man Banji could be staring at a crisis that goes beyond an election defeat.

[00:06:26]Suspended TMC spokesperson Riata has said that around 50 MLAs had held a secret meeting and were backing the expelled TMCA Banerjee as the leader.

[00:06:56]The claims come at a time when the Trinumul Congress is battling what may be its biggest internal crisis since Mamta Banerjee founded the party in 1998. And that's not all.

[00:07:08]Unprecedented scenes were witnessed in South 24 Paranas where a TMC leader was seen returning money allegedly collected as cut money. The cut money was initially collected from the beneficiaries of the Pradan Mantri Aas Yojana.

[00:07:22]But Ma Banerjee is in denial. The TMC Supreo who held a protest in Kolkata against the attacks on Abishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee has said that the TMC MLAs are not being allowed to leave home. They're being asked to form a new party.

[00:08:00]What was also surprising is that many TMC MLAs and MPs were not seen at Dirha on Tuesday after thin Congress's pulled debacle in 2026 assembly election. For the first time, Mohammad Bani had hit the streets here in Y channel. She had sat here on a protest dha where she continued to remain for three and a half years and finally she have set the narrative straight and clear that the game is not over yet.

[00:08:28]Meanwhile, the forge signature row continues to explode. After expelling two MLAs, a TMC delegation has submitted a fresh letter seeking appointment of their official nominee so Chhatrapada as the leader of the opposition.

[00:08:44]Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

[00:09:12]As the crisis deepens, one trend is becoming increasingly clear. Most disgruntled leaders are not targeting Ma Banerjee. Their anger appears to be directed elsewhere at a bipo or nephew and political heir Abhishek Banji. Many within the party blame him for sidelining the old guard and centralizing power within the organization. Others accuse him of relying too heavily on IPAC, a strategy that they believe contributed to the TMC's electoral collapse. With the party out of power, leaders who once stayed silent are no longer holding back. The battle lines within the TMC are becoming clearer. Old guard versus new guard. Ma loyalists versus Abhishek loyalists. The TMC insists this is merely a difficult phase. But the BJP says the party is collapsing from within.

[00:10:21]accepted, tasted and rejected.

[00:10:26]But the signs of unrest are becoming harder to ignore. Secret meetings, public disscent, leaders under attack, MLAs under suspension, and rival power centers emerging inside the party. The battle for Bengal may be over. The battle for Trinamur Congress may have just begun with Indrajit Kundu and Tapas Gupta in Kolkata. Bureau report India today.

[00:10:53]So let's try and make sense of these latest developments in Bengal. Joining me from Kolkata is India Today's Indrajit Kundu. Also with me is Dr. Chhatur Rupa, spokesperson of the BJP.

[00:11:03]Manojit Mandal joins us as a political analyst. Senan Gosh is the author of Battleground Bengal. I'm also in a moment going to be joined by Javahar Sarkcar. But before I bring in our guest Indrajit, how many MLAs were you able to spot and is there an explanation of the 80 MLAs? Why were the numbers the the numbers that were there? How many could you count?

[00:11:29]>> Well, uh this was a big uh you know agitation program called by the Tronom Congress Supreme Mtab Banerji today her first after the poll debacle. So uh every time and history has told us whenever there was a call uh given by Mammoth Banjerji her party members were extremely enthused and they are out in large numbers but the scenes are very very different from what we are used to in West Bengal politics and there was a time 2:00 was the given time at about 1 uh 10 minutes past 1:00 there was a Facebook post that was put up by the trolul Congress leadership asking calling its party workers to come and start gathering ing because there was handful of people who had come in at that point in time. Then Mohammed Banerjee came out and there were about 8 to nine odd MLAs and there were three MPs who were there today along with uh you know some supporters who were there uh in central Kolkata. This of course in the backdrop of these allegations that are now being leveled by the Trinamul Congress Supreo herself that her party is under duress that the police is threatening her party MPs, MLAs and uh you know counselors and leaders they were not being allowed to attend they were not given permission is what they are alleging for holding these agitation programs. So the tables have turned.

[00:12:45]It's now an opposition party and the allegations that were once leveled by the opposition against the Mtabanji government now the same allegations are on the list of Mabanagi right now. Okay, I will come back to you four more but for the moment I want to bring into the special broadcast Javahar Sarcar, former member of parliament uh has worked very closely with Trmul Congress, former CEO of Prasar Bharti, a bureaucrat for more than four decades standing. Mr. Sarc welcome. Your assessment of the situation today. MLAs who stayed away from May 6 to June 2, that number is constantly gone up from 10 to 35 to 60.

[00:13:26]Now apparently 72 of 80 stayed away.

[00:13:30]>> I don't think the number will be so large. But definitely uh this was something that one was expecting because of the eerie silence following the uh victory of uh the BJP to the complete silence. So we attributed it to the demoralization but then there was more to it. There were whispers of what's going on. Now it appears that a large section of the party is likely to break away from the um from Mta Banagi and Abhishek Banery and their uh persons and uh whether it will be a new party allied to the ruling dispensation or whether it will be a middle ground thing we don't know but uh it definitely speaks about two things number one that there is a lot of discontentment within the uh TMC especially about I have repeatedly said about Abishek style of functioning and using the IPAC as some sort of a parallel party come or whatever that that has really hurt people bunch of youngsters telling them what to do and his slide and the second thing is that though the BJP has made it very clear they don't want any more defector they made it very clear >> BJP president said so in as many words no trivialization >> uh but I think uh these fellows haven't given up hope you know the problem is that most of them have committed acts from which cases may arise >> u I've been pointing that out for many years that many of them are vulnerable to criminal criminal cases and they would like some sort of a blanket insurance. So something like this going on >> maybe 50 50 or 80 they would perhaps require I think 53 or 55 of 80 uh to be what they call asly TMC. Do you think they have the numbers for for 55 or 50 >> or 80?

[00:15:43]>> Well they are saying so but they haven't come up with any list. people are saying I heard uh one of the ministers of the BJP government who I know rather well uh saying that we have they have the numbers and all that and I heard Rita Broto also making this claim but uh until the names and signatures come out because Ma and her people will not be sitting idle also >> they have a lot of resources you must remember uh so they won't be sitting idle also they'll hark back to loyalties and uh there will be some amount of turning. It's heading for something uh of a split whether formal or informal. I don't one don't doesn't know but this was coming this was coming.

[00:16:31]>> So you know since you mentioned signatures um and and both sides trying to you know being a part of this churn you've been a top bureaucrat and you've been a bureaucrat for over four decades.

[00:16:42]You understand the way governments function and the administration functions. Now the complaint that Rita Prattab Banerjy and Sundep Saha have made about fourth signatures. How serious is that for Abhishek Banjery and Mtab Banerjee? How serious a setback would that be for the TMC?

[00:16:59]>> See himself came in from some other party. So start with that sort of thing.

[00:17:06]>> But if he has the guts to come forward and make an allegation against somebody who's considered to be the supreo supreo he must be having some materials with him. He did not make an ass of himself in public. So he has some material with him to justify. But until these are scrutinized properly by the speaker, one should jump to conclusions. The uh the weight of doubt is in Rita Bro's favor.

[00:17:34]Uh because he is the one who's sticking his neck out. Oh, >> your reading your reading of this TMC and this so-called meeting that was held with over 50 TMC MLAs is that Maharashtra model or operation Lotus 2.0 as TMC puts it. Is the Maharashtra model doable in Bengal?

[00:17:55]>> Well, overnight it seems doable but it's not the same thing because you don't need this MLA or this group or this new party to be in power in Maharashtra. you needed them number one. So they are superfluous to the existing uh party BJP but they are seeking their own insurance. You must realize because uh they fear that if they stay with the original group they might so uh and that is my my reckoning because I've been talking of corruption and extortion for a long long time. I think that basically the game plan that you select and you get an insurance policy so that nobody can pounce on you and you act as a buffer so that the original opposition whatever it is I mean the the main opposition is reduced to a petty size that's the game but not it's not critical to the formation or the sustenance of the government >> and in your reading is this the end of the road >> is this the end of the road for for the Trin Congress uh or Mta Banerjee or Abhishek Banerjer because there are some who talking about political disintegration or is this just exaggeration of a situation?

[00:19:14]I think for the moment it's it's jumping the gun too fast. Jumping the gun because I've seen this lady come up from when she was little more than a in her early 20s but she's no more in her early 20s one has to remember and her chosen successor doesn't have that uh volcanic spirit within him. She has hegemony in his eyes and attitude but he doesn't have that spirit. it it is uh so we'll have to see how it works out. You know sometimes adversity the underdog thing also works. So we we'll see how it pans out but it looks like heading for a split whether it's a legit split or an illegitimate split like the minister in their government right now uh Arjun Singh >> he was in the BJP but he was attending TMC you know these sort of middleway houses and what I call political adultery often takes place so one one will have to see what form and shape and legitimacy this group can acquire under the constitution utional provisions and the legal provisions but there is a definite undercurrent of a split >> you know when the trul congress or when Abhishek Banerjee and Mtab Banerjee's part of the TMC when they blame the BJP or operation Lotus or outside forces or EDI or C should they be looking within why did things come to such a pass there are images that are going viral of cut money being returned uh in in Bengal of a large number of Bangladeshies now heading to the border once again are these aspects that they also need to introspect >> about Bangladesh I would not make any comment right now because we talk about it as it moves along but yes introspection on the model of uh accommodating encouraging or keeping with you people who are known to be corrupt that's one thing that I could never get reconciled I was told that I'm not a political animal and therefore I can't uh this sort of thing happens in politics and I shouldn't take it to heart but uh I think it's it's time in fact the letter that I sent about two years ago if only a few pars were taken in it wouldn't reach this proportion >> so they need to introspect also >> you recall I interviewed you after that after that letter that very pained letter that you had written and that cut money um is is now you know has perhaps it's come back to bite the Trinul Congress and now their leaders are returning that money those images are also going viral but on that Bangladesh issue I hope to have you back on the show but as always Mr. Sarcar many thanks for joining me >> thank you thank you >> I now want to throw it open for a wider discussion and I want to bring in Dr. Shatupa uh into this conversation uh Dr. Shatupa the BJP is being accused of operation Lotus 2.0 to in Bengal trying to implement the Maharashtra model. How do you uh you know respond to this ma'am that this is intimidation of TMC MLAs and MPs that is why majority stayed away.

[00:22:31]>> Gorov good evening first of all uh I was listening in to Jahor Sharkar and although I may not agree with all that he's saying but he's very categorically said that BJP doesn't need to do anything like this. We have the numbers.

[00:22:46]I mean why would we we have a a a thumping majority people have voted in uh some 208 MLAs and uh with with the last PA MLA who got elected now so we don't require I mean we actually would have been very happy with a healthy opposition they have 80 MLAs they should have know stuck to their guns and created a good healthy opposition we in fact the first few um ministry meetings meetings that we had or the uh when the chief minister called a meeting of the government you know that we had called the opposition also even in the first ida that was held u you remember when when the leader of opposition was talking the chief minister heard him out very patiently and then gave his stand in a very dignified manner so we don't have a problem with an opposition number one number two you will definitely remember uh what amiti had said the entrepreneur minister had said a long time back probably um in another interview maybe with Rahul or somebody not on your channel that um ma manager is beyond the constitution in his own sarcastic manner he had said and they blame everybody everybody else except them you know they blame all the central agencies that BJP's taken over everything and then maybe a day will come when her party is going to disintegrate and then she will say that the her karak cutters have gone to BJP this is coming true we We're not saying anything. We're not welcoming anybody.

[00:24:18]In fact, our state president is very categoric. Then no new membership will happen. You cannot you know change colors faster than a chameleon and then suddenly say that okay now I'm BJP. It doesn't happen like that. Number three.

[00:24:31]>> So let me bring in Manojit Mandal to respond.

[00:24:34]>> Just let me finish to but just one small point.

[00:24:37]>> Go on ma'am. You you remember the eggs thrown at Abhishek, eggs thrown at Shogat Ray, uh Kolan Banerjee apparently being harassed. These are all general public. You will not find a single BJP karata doing this because we are strictly much as we would like to but we are strictly forbidden to do this.

[00:24:57]Today's dhana >> much as we would like to ma'am. Okay.

[00:25:02]>> But give me a moment but give me a moment. Let me get Monojit Mandal into this conversation. The point that is being made sir is BJP doesn't need to do this. It's a crisis. It's a mess of TMC's making. Uh you know Retabra Banerjee for example is your party is is a TMC MLA. So is Sepan Saha if they've complained of Ford signatures. Isn't this Gha Mla as an analyst? How do you look at it sir?

[00:25:30]>> First of all when Abhishek manager was attacked on Saturday I think there were BJP women activists around. They were throwing eggs. is clearly visible on you know on on on TV and cameras. So I think that's that's not that's not true. Yes, there is there is there is a problem.

[00:25:45]Can I speak now? There is a problem with that's true. But look who is who carrying ma'am? Let's let's hear Mr. Mandala. I will come back to you ma'am.

[00:25:54]>> Please clarify that with him.

[00:25:55]>> I think is you know some other acknowledging that Mr. was already recognized as the leader of the >> ma'am. 30 seconds. 30 seconds. Let him just complete his point. I'll come back to you before I go to Santan Gosh. But go on sir. Mr. Mandal complete your point sir.

[00:26:14]>> No I think I think now you have won the election. Let's behave like ruler you know. Uh so is this opposition times for us?

[00:26:22]>> Clearly not rulers. No people are the rulers who they may have won the elections but they they have won to serve. Uh if they think they're rulers, hopefully they'll be out in case they think they're rulers. But be that as it may sound be a ruler.

[00:26:35]>> I I do hope so that they do it. You know, instead what they doing what they they're focusing on that quote unquote for jury. Well, it was clearly visible that 70 MLAs actually voted for Mr. Chopan Chapa that they needed barely 41 of them to do so and he rightly recognized that the leader of the opposition. Now then suddenly because of these two you know you know expel what do you call this expelled MLAs one was a perennial you know expeller was expelled by the CPM party also I don't know why TMC took him in the party I opposed it clearly you know 8 years ago so this rotten orange I said that he had he has no value to any political party right but again because of this year later the whole thing was completely turn around now there's No opposition leader apparently even today there was a letter from the party the congress saying that you have to recognize shund chapata as a leader of the opposition because they already give the recognition both the speaker and the chief >> so san give me 30 seconds Dr. Shutupa wants to quickly respond she wants to just rebut what Mr. Mandal said but then I'll come to you. Go on ma'am.

[00:27:45]>> Yeah go it is on television. Police have you know immediately swung into action.

[00:27:51]There has been uh investigation and five tinumul goons were identified. Now it is not BJP's fault that you know these people want to fight amongst themselves and they hate obishek banji so much like you had interrupted me much as we would like to throw some eggs we are forbidded to because has harassed our karaka. not only harassed, murdered our karak kartas, they have spelted stones on our national president, our then state president on several national leaders.

[00:28:20]They've done that. We have been restrained to the last kakarta down to the bottom by our national state president. He has told us not to do this. So none of us are doing this and on investigation you have seen go five goons were identified. Number one.

[00:28:35]Number two, all this nonsense that Monojit is talking about the forgery and the LOP letter, it is all the three people who are now pointing out in the Van, >> you know, we'll wait for the C report.

[00:28:48]>> We'll wait for the C report. But Santan Kosh is the writing on the wall for Maab Banerj. If uh if you know of the 80 more than 70 stay away today, more than 60 stayed away last week, more than 35 stayed away the week before that local leaders are returning cut money. What does all of this indicate within the TMC Par?

[00:29:16]Okay. So I think that few things uh that uh one is that the thrum congress uh from the inception I think this is something we are missing that inception the TMC has fought against the left and after fighting against the left when it came to power from 2011 to 2026 it has been a party in power. So everything around for the people for example we are talking about Rto Banuji they came with the TMC because TMC was in power Sepan Saha his father was a congressman was Shanakumal Shaha who was with Mohammad Banerji because he died his son got the ticket so what I'm trying to say is that these people were not associated with the TLC See because of any kind of ideology, any kind of their sentiment or anything because the party was in power.

[00:30:19]When you are in power, you can give a lot of benefit to your people uh your kakartas and these kind of people were with them.

[00:30:27]>> Today is you know san just give me 30 seconds if 70 of 80 stay away. So are we to cons think that 70 of 80 are not believing in the ideology of of the thrill congress? If you know maybe 60 maybe 55 maybe 50 I don't know numbers but I'm asking you.1 point 2 what about party MPs there were just about a handful of MPs also there yes I think the number game will be clear in some days okay but uh I think what is happening just one picture I will tell you that today there was a seating dharma happened by manta banerji you're you have covered it sit look at the people who are sitting around mama Banji, Madan Mitra, Shand Chhatapad, Kunal Gos these kind of people, majority of them are with Maab Banerj. I think Lamb Banerj there are lot of allegations and uh things against him. One thing in his speech he said wonderfully that we have come to TMC and survived in TMC by holding Didi.

[00:31:34]>> Okay. So the kunal also said that earlier today >> yes so what I'm trying to say is that the new generation the corporatized TMC under a vish man banuji which we are discussing now where non ideological where mostly there were opportunistic uh issues and these kind of people came to uh with the monojit mandal is this anger against Abhishek Banerjee IPAC and the corporate style of functioning uh and not anger against Mab Banerjery but then this was a meeting that was called by Mab Banerjee this was supposed to be a show of strength for Maab Banerjee and yet MLAs and MPs stayed away uh you know and what would you make of leaders that Kaki Dustidar resigning from party post is there a need for TMC to do introspection within instead of blaming IPAC or corporate culture or uh the BJP.

[00:32:40]>> No, first of all, I think that if I refresh that proverb, nothing is sweeter than success, right? I mean the same Abishek Banner and IPC won you two very very difficult elections in 2021. I believe that was the most difficult election so far for Maghdadi and in 2024 just two years back BJP was reduced to 12 from 18 in in their parliament. I mean look the 15 years of anti-inccumbancy is a very big factor and there are of course other reasons corruption you know intimidation gagardi kat money and on top of this s 3.8 8 million people are out of the voters list. So I mean don't don't write of a person who I believe has remade himself in the last five six years. Aishek Banerjee has become a I think a very good young politicians in the country.

[00:33:25]Even the prime minister of the country laed him when he you know held that parliamentary delegations after that you know attack in Kashmir. So I think you know just don't write him off. There are problems in the party. I believe 15 years I think is is is is a quite long time for a party to go out. TMC has to take its in stride. Yeah, we rule 15 years and you talk about ideology model politics. Oh my god, that doesn't happen these days. My dear friend, I mean the ideology is a fake in politics. I think the same TMC I think decimated one of the biggest regimes in the world, the leftist regime under Mabanji and they won three successive elections, you know. So I mean I mean yes you have won the election. I repeat nothing nothing success like success enjoy and you know govern the state problem there are problem I'm acknowledging on TV there were problem cut money culture you talking about this manager you know loing this up he he is a tan court perennial tan court he was expelled from his party for antibody >> Dr. Shatupa wants to come in >> it will be fatal.

[00:34:28]>> You don't want to lo him up that's your problem.

[00:34:31]>> Okay. It it will be very dangerous to write off either Ma Banerjee or Abhishek Banerjee. Are some making the mistake of trying to write off Mtab Banerjee at this situ in this situation. Dr. Shat I don't know who's writing them off. We are not. Sinul themselves are writing their writing their leader off whether it's mammoth banana and her age or whether it's abishal banji and his arrogance it is the sinul people who are reacting to their leaders we have absolutely nothing to say whether mhamad manager in fact the chief minister has very very uh very very gallantly I will say maintained that nobody in the even the state president we've constantly been maintaining nobody should make any kind of personal insults on mham banji we generally don't but even Then there is this very strict stricture on us that we are not supposed to get get any permanent get into any personal attacks or insults. But I mean I have to lord um monojit he's still holding on to his guns and defending obishek manager. I mean it's very very he's a very loyal person I'm sure. But the point here is that some 10 other people or maybe 20 other people or now probably 80 other people and the whole party is disintegrating like a pack of card. And they are the ones who are pointing out the problems with Abhishek Banji and some are pointing out the problems with Mama Banji. I can tell you one thing as a BJP spokesperson whenever we've had top leaders of Senamul crossing over earlier I'm talking about earlier 2016 maybe 198 when Mukula came they all of these people had a problem with Abhishek Banagi they were hurt because Mohammad Banji didn't say anything now that is a problem that you know has to sort out within themselves okay BJP has got nothing to do with it and what Yes, >> was saying something very nicely. I always admire what he says, but you know he's talking about some ideology. For the for the life of me, I don't know what ideology has except for being in opposition. They have to be against somebody. Trinum was born out of opposition to Congress. Tinumul grew.

[00:36:46]Their single point agenda was opposition against CPM. I'll get Sai to respond to that but Monojit wants to respond to you on that point that very pertinent point you raised you think they may be disintegrating but are they Mojit Mandal is the TMC disintegrating 50 plus if 50 plus are saying TMC then that's Ber sir no first of all knows that we fight on TV but I respect her off the off the camera she knows it very I'm speaking about the fact you know I what I'm saying is political history of the state right yes the facts the same I know because I I do have some connection with the party this banji was made the MP because of a banji >> right he was in the party because of Aishek Banerji he got the ticket because of Banji Ship Shah hang on >> right now he's against you look at look at these people look at the people I mean Shipon Shaha one the young brigade guns of the party. His father used to hold that seat. He got the ticket because of Ahishek Baji. Right now look at their look at their attitude. I mean I just pity these people and I pity also the people who sheltered them. You talking about if it were just these two if it were just these two you could pity them. But if that number truly is as they claim either 50 or 55 is that a serious threat to the congress? I I'll wait for the I'll wait for them. But please look at the look at the counselors who are resigning and now singing a different tune. Investigate them. Investigate the 100 plus counselors. They are the they are the most dangerously corrupt people of TMC.

[00:38:29]I tell you the counselors and the lower level punch where I'm sitting in a village right now in my village. I could see them. They are the most dangerously corrupt. You know >> sir, but I wish you had said all of this when TMC was that these are the most corrupt people. You're only saying that now. But Shantan gosh last 30 seconds.

[00:38:47]Last 30 seconds because I'm eating into the time of the other big story that we getting here on the show and I quickly want to go to it. Do you see this as as major trouble for TMC? If 55 were to break away is that you know as Dr. Shatrupa argues is that TMC disintegrating then sir?

[00:39:06]>> Yes. Uh so just few things I would like to correct. Okay. uh for the international delegation of operation synindor the central government under Mr. Modi did not choose Abhished Man Banerjee. True.

[00:39:22]>> They chose Yuf Patan and then the TMC objected to that and then they decided to include Abhishek Banerjer and not Yu Patan. This is a factually wrong thing.

[00:39:36]And another thing is that okay today we are talking about West Bengal. Today we are talking about morality and ethical considerations against the TMC which is happening. But just gor I would like to take you to 2021 and if I'm not wrong it was February sorry in November TMC did the same thing in the state of Megallaya in a overnight coup they dismantled they took over 12 out of 18 MLAs of the congress and became the opposition party in Megallaya okay under mul sang. So I think that this is all this is all about. This is a power game. This is a power game. Who can put more power on which situation?

[00:40:28]The number >> that's a story we'll be tracking very closely. I want to thank all my guests.

[00:40:33]It's a very interesting discussion but clearly this is a story that will remain interesting in the days and weeks ahead.

[00:40:39]Thank you very much for joining me. I want to quickly now switch focus and take you to Uttar Pradesh. Now in police stations in Uttar Pradesh, I want to take you to one police station in Gazyabad.

[00:40:49]Criminals including history shooters, they are holding placards. Plaards that say request Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditinad, please forgive me is what that criminal says. He says he will abandon a life of crime and not one or two but multiple. I Yes. Mjek Shama is what this uh alleged history sheet according to the Uttar Pradesh police.

[00:41:13]This is what they're saying. There is a police verification drive, a special verification and reform drive that was conducted by the Gazyawad police and criminals including registered bad characters, history cheaters. They're carrying placards to to request Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to forgive them and that they will reform and that they will no longer that's the pledge they're taking. 150 close to 150 history cheaters they were called to local police stations as part of a verification drive. During the drive, many of them came with these placards.

[00:41:44]They publicly pledged they will stay away from crime and follow the law of the land. And this is being termed as operation clean sweep that's being conducted within the jurisdiction of Sahibabad police station in Gazyabad.

[00:41:59]Now to verify their credentials, these 150 odd individuals, uh they were called they have criminal anticidentants. They have cases against them. They're registered bad characters. Some of them are history cheaters. They have criminal records and they were called to pledge that they will not resort to crime.

[00:42:18]Listen in to their pledge and what the police are saying.

[00:42:43]I want to quickly bring in India today for more on this Hindu.

[00:43:20]Today Street.

[00:43:51]Mega Drive.

[00:43:55]Mega Drive.

[00:44:06]Pradesh police.

[00:44:20]This is part of operation clean sweep across Uttar Pradesh. Arvin, keep tracking that story. I will come back to you for more. But I now want to shift focus to a big international story for US President Donald Trump. There was there were heated exchanges according to reports in the US media with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Nathan Yahoo.

[00:44:38]Now both of them are seen as as very close together but as the war escalates or there's a no war no peace situation right now signs of strain are very clearly showing Donald Trump and Benjamin Nathan Yahoo they held a phone conversation in which Trump is believed to have told Netanyahu hold back military action. There should be no action in Beirut in the southern part of Beirut. But Nathan Yahu said Israel will continue to strike if Hezbollah attacks persist not in Beirut right now but in the southern part of the country the operations will continue. I get you more in this report.

[00:45:19]Conversations between two of the world's closest allies don't appear to be friendly anymore.

[00:45:27]US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call which Trump says was very productive. But if reports are to be believed, it was a tense exchange to say the least. Trump claimed that after their conversation, Netanyahu agreed to pull back any troops that were preparing to attack southern Lebanon. Trump also said that he spoke with Iran aligned Lebanese militia group Hezbollah through intermediaries and secured a pledge that it would not attack Israel.

[00:45:58]But Netanyahu posted soon after that he told Trump that they will continue to attack Beirut if Hezbollah does not stop its attacks on Israeli cities.

[00:46:08]Israel's security minister even said that now is the time for Netanyahu to say no to Trump and continue strikes on Hezbollah.

[00:46:17]But this is not where the disagreements end. Hours after the two nations made their positions clear, an Axio report quoted US officials saying that the call between Trump and Netanyahu was in fact an exploitive laden one.

[00:46:32]The call was prompted after Iran threatened to stop negotiating with the US due to Israel's action on Lebanon.

[00:46:41]A miffed Trump therefore reportedly lashed out at Netanyahu over the escalation and yelled at him calling him crazy. According to the report, Trump felt that Netanyahu was reacting disproportionately and accused him of being ungrateful, saying he would have been in prison if not for the United States.

[00:47:00]The report even quoted Trump telling Netanyahu that everybody hates him and Israel because of this.

[00:47:08]Israel and Lebanon are set to begin another round of talks in Washington DC.

[00:47:13]But with Netanyahu facing intense pressure at home to continue attacks, will heed Trump's call to stop the military action in Lebanon?

[00:47:22]Puro report India today.

[00:47:30]Will the war in West Asia escalate or will there be peace? Return to peace because Iran has stopped negotiations till the time the situation eases out in Lebanon. or Shak US correspondent at Israel's Hiom joins us on this broadcast. Richard Sanders is a former US state department officials also joins us on this show. Or Shake, how do you look at the situation right now?

[00:47:54]Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue to strike at his maybe not in Beirut right now but Iran says should that happen there will be no negotiations and there is fear that Babal Mandab could be targeted next by the Houthi forces.

[00:48:09]>> Yes. Uh so good evening and thank you for having me Mr. Sawant. Uh I would be careful not to overstate this as a dramatic rupture between Trump and Netanyahu. It was clearly a tense conversation but the two leader have a deep working relationship and speak very frequently uh three or four times a week. Any two leaders even close allies can have disagreements and the real question is whether they can manage those disagreements through ongoing dialogue while facing the strategic challenges. Um, I do not believe that this is a dramatic shift in terms of the military situation specifically in Lebanon. We we need to create a distinction and you and you mentioned it and rightfully so between uh uh the escalation of attacks including attacks in the Dhaka area of Beirut against assets and the ongoing defense measures that Israel is taking in order to uh to protect itself from ongoing attacks in southern Lebanon. uh one needs to mention that are currently uh since the announcement of the ceasefire in April 13 Israeli soldiers have died as a result of attacks and Israel retains or retains the ability to respond to them as these attacks happen.

[00:49:19]>> Okay. Uh Mr. Sanders, do you see this as a regular disengagement, a regular disagreement between the Israeli prime minister and the American president? Do you see this as a rupture or something far more serious uh than a disagreement?

[00:49:34]>> I think this is a time in which United States and Israeli interests which were closely aligned at the beginning of the conflict are beginning to diverge somewhat. uh the United States priority is to find a solution to what's going on in the Persian Gulf and to to get the straits of Hormuz reopened and of course to reach some kind of arrangement on the nuclear issue. U at the same these of course are of importance to Israel but Israel's current priority has to do with Hezbollah and Lebanon. Uh and so for for for them the fact that uh there are missiles being fired on their northern settlements uh is uh stopping that uh is their top priority and that the two may overlap but they are not necessarily the same concerns. Um both uh leaders of course have not only international security concerns but domestic concerns.

[00:50:30]President Trump uh war in uh with with Iran is not popular. At the same time, Netanyahu uh is uh looks like his current government is coming to its end and he'll have to face elections. So, there are domestic pressures involved in this as well. Um at the same time, there are a lot of moving parts going on.

[00:50:49]There's in be it in Washington between the Lebanese um and and Israeli representatives. Uh we have messages being and negotiations being passed back and forth between the Iranians uh and and the Americans. Uh at the same time we have a a so-called ceasefire but looks looks right now more like a kind of a low inensity conflict in which uh missiles and drones >> absolutely I mean there's a ceasefire in place and yet missiles are being launched and missile silos are being targeted but do you see an escalation in the days and weeks ahead Iran has pulled back from negotiations if if there's an escalation on the Lebanon front but do you is there an apprehension that we are still suffering straight of Homus there could be an impact on Babal Mandab on the Swiss canal route next Mr. senders.

[00:51:42]>> Well, I would I would say that we're at a moment of uh considerable tension. At the same time, uh there is this memorandum of understanding whose terms are being hammered out and negotiated.

[00:51:55]Uh so we may be coming to a fork in the road whether whether there will be continued or even intensified conflict or will we see some kind of way forward.

[00:52:05]uh a lot of pain has been inflicted both on Iran and u the Gulf States and and the global economy and thus the United States as well. Uh we hear different signals out of Thrron uh from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of course you hear very hardliners saying well you know further conflict is inevitable. Um, but at the same time, you see, well, we're we're talking again. Uh, and and if the fact that the Israelis are backing off of engaging in some kind of strikes in the suburbs of Beirut, perhaps that will provide some breathing space for further negotiations to take place.

[00:52:44]>> But is that detrimental? because Benjamin Nathan Yahu has to face elections you know or sheed if I could um would he want to go into elections with Hisbah still in a position to target northern Israel we we've seen multiple attacks take place on Israeli soldiers as you pointed out in the southern part of Lebanon initially they said we're going to clear area till the Leani River but now apparently they want to clear everything till the Zerani River is that possible till the elections is that more to do with elections in mind or security of northern Israel in mind?

[00:53:20]>> Well, I think it's all of these things.

[00:53:22]I mean, uh the elections in Israel are due to take place around octo October unless the uh Israeli parliament would be dissolved earlier. So, that remains to be seen regarding the actual timeline of when the elections are going to take place. Uh it means that uh that Prime Minister Netanyahu from a a domestic political standpoint has something like four months to show more accomplishments uh uh to the Israeli public as we as we head toward the elections. Uh that doesn't mean of course that the security considerations are in in mind. I mean look uh many people in northern Israel have been displaced just like many people in southern Lebanon have been displaced. Um and uh one needs to one needs to understand that these communities cannot live in peace. uh uh psych even psychologically speaking, I'm talking about like the emotional and and and psychological safety. The fact that you have uh uh an Iranian terrorist proxy still standing, weakened severely, but still standing is a perceived threat that the the residents of northern Israel are now willing to take. So there is a domestic push uh in order to finish this escalation withah and uh and the push is to is to uh uh uh close in on it both kinetically militarily speaking but also diplomatically as it pertains to the current uh rounds of negotiations in DC. One of the uh key things to understand here is that there's supposed to be a mechanism in place in order for Israel and the uh government of Lebanon and the Lebanese armed forces to dismantleah together. That was that is what is stipulated in resolution 1701 of the security council and that's what needs to happen.

[00:55:00]>> But will that actually happen? Because if Iran right now says any attack on Hezbollah or any attack on any of the resistance forces will lead to negotiations going in deep freeze. Um Mr. Sanders, does that indicate that the situation could now go from bad to worse? And with President Trump also scheduled to face midterm elections in the United States, is he facing fire on multiple fronts? And that's why he wants Israel to back off. But if Israel backs off, that's trouble for Netanyahu.

[00:55:34]>> There are a lot of complications that need to be worked through under the current situation. Uh unquestionably, back in the United States, uh there is a great desire to get this conflict behind us. And uh Trump uh says he's not concerned. He'll he may or may not continue with negotiations unless he gets what he wants. But there are enormous pressures inside the United States to get some kind of forward movement to get past the current situation to get past the economic pressures that are leading to uh you know gasoline at higher prices and the softening of the US and the global economy. Uh at the same time uh the situation in Iran, the situation in Lebanon is extremely complex. uh one can understand fully why Israel would not be prepared to tolerate uh attacks on its northern settlements. Uh absolutely at this >> and this is what points out how bad the situation is and now the fear is if the Houthi forces get involved in Yemen and the Babal Mandab gets activated or uh you know there there's a blockade there the world economy will be in tail spin and that's a story we'll be tracking very closely. I want to thank both my guests uh Mr.