TMC Drops Yusuf Pathan from Delegation Over Lack of Consultation by Centre

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has withdrawn the name of Yusuf Pathan, cricketer-turned-politician and Lok Sabha MP from Baharampur, from a multi-party delegation on Operation Sindoor. The decision was taken after the Centre included him without prior consultation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or the party leadership.

Although no official reason has been given for the move, party sources said that the TMC, which functions with a strong sense of internal discipline and identity, was unhappy with the Union government’s “unilateral selection” of one of its MPs. According to a senior TMC leader, Pathan was directly approached for his passport details without informing the Chief Minister or the party. “Neither the BJP nor the Centre has the authority to decide who will represent Trinamool in any multi-party delegation,” the leader said on condition of anonymity.

Derek O’Brien, TMC’s Parliamentary Party leader in the Rajya Sabha, said the party supports any national interest initiative taken by the Union government. However, he clarified that the TMC believes international diplomacy should remain solely under the Centre’s purview.

The TMC leadership, including Mamata Banerjee, has so far taken a cautious and reserved stand on Operation Sindoor, a military operation carried out by Indian armed forces targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Chief Minister has refrained from making any public statements on the issue.

Last week, senior MP Saugata Roy made controversial remarks regarding Operation Sindoor, prompting the party to distance itself from his comments. A formal statement issued by the party read: “Let us emphatically state that the statement made by Prof. Saugata Roy, MP, is not the opinion of the All India Trinamool Congress.”

Following the incident, the party issued a stern advisory to all its members to avoid making public comments on the sensitive issue. The directive applies to social media, press interactions, and speeches at public meetings.

The episode reflects the TMC’s intent to assert its autonomy while maintaining its cautious support for national security measures, and underscores the tensions between regional parties and the Centre on issues of representation and protocol.

Team Maverick.