TMC rebel MP Saayoni Ghosh meets Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay

Chennai, Sep 2 (IANS) Trinamool Congress rebel MP Saayoni Ghosh met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday and praised his vision for inclusive growth, opportunity and good governance in the State.

Following the meeting, Ghosh said Vijay also spoke warmly about West Bengal and expressed his admiration for its rich culture and traditions.

“It was a pleasure meeting the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru C. Joseph Vijay,” Ghosh wrote on social media.

“While sharing his thoughts on Tamil Nadu and its future rooted in inclusive growth, opportunity and good governance, he also expressed his fondness for West Bengal, its rich culture and traditions. I am grateful for his warm hospitality. My best wishes to him as he works towards realising his vision for his State,” she added.

Ghosh, an actor and singer who entered politics in 2021, is an MP representing the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) after defecting from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) along with other rebel MPs in June 2026.

She was removed as president of the Trinamool Youth Congress after joining the dissident group.

Ghosh joined the Trinamool Congress in February 2021 and contested that year’s West Bengal Assembly election from Asansol South. She was defeated by BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul but was subsequently appointed president of the party’s youth wing.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Ghosh won the Jadavpur constituency on a Trinamool ticket by a margin of more than 2.5 lakh votes. Once regarded as a prominent young leader close to the Trinamool leadership, she later broke ranks following the party’s crushing defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election.

The Trinamool Congress, which had governed West Bengal continuously since 2011, was reduced to 80 seats in the 294-member Assembly.

The BJP registered a landslide victory by securing 207 seats and formed its first government in the State.

Tamil Nadu also witnessed a dramatic political change in the 2026 Assembly election. Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the largest party in its electoral debut, winning 108 of the 234 seats.

The ruling DMK suffered a severe setback, with its tally falling from 133 seats in 2021 to 59. The DMK-led alliance collectively secured 73 seats.

Vijay subsequently formed the government with support from other parties. Against this backdrop, Ghosh’s meeting with Vijay has attracted political attention, particularly as both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu continue to witness political realignments following the defeat of their long-established ruling parties.

–IANS

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