New Delhi [India], June 14 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manan Kumar Mishra on Sunday hit out at the leadership style of Mamata Banerjee, alleging that party leaders had earlier felt under pressure during Banerjee's tenure as Chief Minister.
Speaking to ANI, he said that among TMC leaders there was "no fear or apprehension" at present, adding that such concerns existed earlier under Mamata Banerjee's leadership, which he described as a "reign of terror."
He further alleged that after a change in administration and the BJP coming to power in the state, leaders began to feel freer.

"(Among TMC leaders) there is no fear or apprehension. This fear used to come from Mamata Banerjee. They were devastated by Mamata Banerjee's reign of terror. When the administration there changed, and the BJP government came to power, they began to feel free. Now, whether they form their own party of their own will, or support the BJP, or do something else, it proves that those people were under pressure, feeling suffocated under Mamata Banerjee's leadership," Mishra told ANI.
Mishra added that whether TMC leaders form a new party, support the BJP, or take any other political course, it reflects that they were earlier under pressure within the party structure.
He also said there was no question of any external pressure and asserted that in cases involving corruption, the law will take its own course. He added that any attempt to portray the situation differently would be incorrect.
Amid multiple leaders from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) demanding recognition as a separate bloc, party MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has confirmed that a group of 20 MPs has formally sought separate seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha, signalling a possible organisational split within the party's parliamentary ranks.
The list of MPs also includes Bapi Haldar, Dr. Sharmila Sarkar, Prasun Bandyopadhyay, Jagadish Barma Basunia, Asit Kumar Mal, Arup Chakraborty, Rachna Banerjee, Saayoni Ghosh, Khalilur Rahaman, Abu Taher Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Mitali Bag, Mala Roy, Kalipada Soren, Deepak Adhikari, June Malia, and Partha Bhowmick.
This move comes amid growing internal tensions within the TMC following the party's underwhelming performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, which has reportedly led to a widening rift between the party veterans and the central leadership headed by Mamata Banerjee.