TMC Nominates Abhishek Banerjee For Op Sindoor Delegation, Day After Party Pulled Out Yusuf Pathan's Name

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday nominated party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to be part of an all-party parliamentary delegation involved in the global outreach for Operation Sindoor.

This announcement followed a day after Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan opted out of the delegation.

Photo Credit: PTI

Making the announcement on X, the party stated: "We are delighted to share that our Chairperson Mamata Banerjee has nominated National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to represent the Trinamool Congress in the all-party delegation for India's global outreach against terrorism."

The statement further added: "At a time when the world must come together to confront the escalating threat of terrorism, Abhishek Banerjee's inclusion brings both conviction and clarity to the discussion. His participation will not only signify Bengal's firm stance against terrorism but will also enhance India's collective voice on the global platform."

The Central Government has selected 51 political leaders, MPs, and former ministers from across party lines to be part of seven delegations heading to key world capitals to present India's stance on terrorism, in the context of Operation Sindoor.

Why TMC Was Unhappy

Despite the outreach, the Trinamool Congress expressed dissatisfaction over the Centre's handling of the nominations, claiming it was not consulted before the names were finalised.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee stated that no official request for nominations was made to the "mother party".

"They (the Centre) cannot decide the name. If they request the mother party, the party will decide the name. That is the custom; that is the system. We support the Central Government on matters of foreign policy and stand firmly with them," Mamata Banerjee told reporters.

Abhishek Banerjee echoed this view, reaffirming that while the party supports the government on national security, it reserves the right to nominate its own representatives.

"We stand with the Central Government on all matters related to national interest, combating terrorism, and safeguarding the nation. However, the Central Government cannot determine who will represent the Trinamool Congress in the delegation. That is for our party to decide. If they need one representative, we can send five-but the Central Government must demonstrate good faith," he stated.

Yusuf Pathan had initially been named as part of the delegation led by JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is set to visit Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. However, the former cricketer-turned-MP later indicated that he would not be available to join.

Additionally, senior Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay was also invited but declined due to health concerns.