The Trinamool Congress on Monday distanced itself from six of its MLAs in Tripura who had announced their support for Ram Nath Kovind, the NDA’s candidate in the presidential election, and said it would have nothing to do with them from now on.

What the party said

TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee told reporters that the position taken by the six legislators did not reflect the party’s stand. He said the Trinamool had backed Meira Kumar, the candidate supported by the Congress, and added: “They don’t belong to our party.”

Chatterjee pointed out that the MLAs had originally been elected on Congress tickets and had joined the Trinamool only last year. He alleged that they had “sold themselves before money power”.

Why the MLAs broke ranks

On Sunday the Trinamool legislators in Tripura had decided to vote for Kovind rather than Meira Kumar. They said they did not want to back a candidate who also had the support of the CPI(M).

Change in Tripura leadership

In a related move, party vice-president Mukul Roy, who had been overseeing the Trinamool’s affairs in Tripura, was replaced in that role by TMC leader Sabyasachi Dutt.

See also: Election news

Originally published on 4 July 2017. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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