In a significant political development following the West Bengal Assembly election results, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) parliamentary party has faced a major split. On Sunday evening, 20 rebel MPs from the TMC met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi to announce their formal merger with the Nationalist Citizen Party of India (NCPI). This move marks a dramatic shift in the political landscape, as the rebel group claims to represent more than two-thirds of the party's total strength in the lower house, potentially shielding them from disqualification under the anti-defection law.
High Level Meetings and Strategy
The day began with a crucial meeting of the rebel TMC MPs at the residence of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi. The meeting was also attended by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, where the future course of action and legal strategies were discussed. Following this meeting, the group of 20 MPs, led by senior leaders Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, and Shatabdi Roy, proceeded to the residence of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to submit their formal application for the merger.
The Merger with NCPI
The rebel faction has chosen to merge with the Nationalist Citizen Party of India, a political entity with a presence in Assam, Tripura, West Bengal, and other North-Eastern states. Speaking after the meeting with the Speaker, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar stated, "We, 20 elected MPs from TMC, met the Speaker and submitted a letter requesting separate seating arrangements. These 20 MPs constitute more than two-thirds of our total strength. We're merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party.
Legal Battle and Recognition
MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay emphasized that the merger application, complete with signatures, has been submitted to the Speaker, while he noted that the Lok Sabha is scheduled to reconvene on 20 July, and they expect to have a separate block and office by then. Bandyopadhyay added that the ultimate decision on which faction represents the "real" Trinamool Congress would likely be decided in court, and they would abide by the judicial verdict. The list of MPs who met the Speaker includes Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Shatabdi Roy, Sudip Banerjee, Sayani Ghosh, Mala Roy, Arup Chakraborty, Deepak Adhikari (Dev), Yusuf Pathan, June Malia, Prasun Banerjee, Sharmila Sarkar, Mitali Bag, Abu Taher, and Khalilur Rahaman.
Opposition from the TMC Leadership
The official TMC leadership, led by Abhishek Banerjee, has moved quickly to oppose this split. MPs Kirti Jha Azad and Sagarika Ghose met Speaker Om Birla on behalf of Abhishek Banerjee to submit a letter urging him not to recognize the rebel group. They argued that the split is against the Constitution and existing laws. Meanwhile, senior TMC MP Saugata Roy criticized the move, stating, "These people have left our party. It isn't surprising if they meet the BJP, who are in charge of Operation Lotus in West Bengal. " Sources suggest that the decision to merge with an existing party like NCPI was a strategic move to avoid the legal hurdles that might have arisen if they had tried to form a separate independent group.