Saayoni Ghosh, viewed as a rising figure in the Trinamool Congress, surprised many by joining rebel MPs. Her close ties to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee made the move unexpected. A senior party leader noted that Abhishek had brought her into politics and Mamata had promoted her quickly. The decision highlighted concerns about favoring film personalities over longtime workers. Mahua Moitra expressed shock, describing Ghosh as family and praising her talent and simple lifestyle while urging her to overcome fear. Ghosh traveled to New Delhi amid speculation and later met the Lok Sabha Speaker with rebels to seek recognition as a separate group after merging with a regional outfit. Mamata then replaced her as Trinamool Youth Congress president. Ghosh entered politics in 2021 after criticizing the BJP and had earlier links to the Left. She contested Asansol South but lost narrowly. The party later appointed her to lead its youth wing. She faced arrest in Tripura on various charges and was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate over a school jobs probe. In 2024 she won the Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat by a large margin. Her campaign style included reciting poems and prayers to stress secular values.
