Trinamool Congress decries removal from key parliamentary panels

The tension follows the official reconstitution of 24 Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committees for the 2026-27 term, a process finalized by Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Under the new appointments, the Trinamool Congress lost control of two influential panels. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi has taken over the Committee on Commerce from Dola Sen, while the Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers transitioned from Kirti Azad to Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

Beyond these specific losses, the broader reshuffle maintains a distinct political hierarchy across the legislative committees. While Congress MP Shashi Tharoor remains at the helm of the Committee on External Affairs, the BJP has consolidated leadership across critical sectors. Radha Mohan Singh will lead the Committee on Defence, and Bhartruhari Mahtab has been tapped to chair the Committee on Finance. Other appointments include Anurag Singh Thakur for the Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, and Rajiv Pratap Rudy for Water Resources. These panels, each composed of 31 members drawn from both houses of Parliament, serve as primary vehicles for legislative scrutiny, though several seats currently remain vacant.