Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 7 (ANI): BJP MLA Shankar Sikdar claimed on Sunday that the Trinamool Congress is 'collapsing' and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is losing grip on the party.

'Who stays and who leaves TMC is no longer in Mamata Banerjee's control, because nobody listens to her. Right now, everyone in the party is acting on their own, ignoring party directives. This means the party is collapsing. Saokat Molla has already been arrested, and like him, many others will also be arrested...,' he told ANI.

Former TMC MLA Saokat Molla has been arrested in connection with a crude bomb explosion at Bhangar near Kolkata.

West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul claimed that Mamata Banerjee is slowly losing grip on the TMC. She further questioned the credibility of INDIA bloc in view of the apparent differences within.

'The TMC is in shambles. The original TMC party is out of Mamata Banerjee's hands. She is going to Delhi to again create commotion...Where is the INDIA alliance? CPI-M General Secretary, M A Baby, has already written a letter to Congress, which has been alleging that CPI-M and BJP are together under the table. Mr Baby's allegation is why are you calling us for the alliance meet when you think you have put this allegation on us...DMK is not participating...The INDIA alliance has been completely sidelined and discarded by the people of the nation'

Dilip Ghosh on Sunday took a swipe at TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.

'His party is not with him, who will stay with them?'

Ghosh's comments come split in TMC with expelled party leader Ritabrata Banerjee stating that he has the support of 58 MLAs.

'We have claimed that the legislative party belongs to these MLAs. Two-thirds of the MLAs who have won in the symbol of the Trinamool Congress. The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly, the Speaker, has granted us our claim. So we want to go one step forward, one step at a time,' he said earlier this week.

Ritabrata Banerjee also said that he wishes to have former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the 'chief advisor' to the group of rebel MLAs in the assembly. (ANI)