TMC MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Mala Roy, Yusuf Pathan, and others meet Union minister and BJP leader Bhupender Yadav at his residence, in New Delhi.
NEW DELHI: A little-known political outfit that struggled to make an impact in the 2023 Tripura assembly elections has suddenly found itself at the centre of rebellion within the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Dissident MPs on Sunday announced their merger with the lesser-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking a separate seating arrangement in the House, even as TMC parliamentary party leader Abhishek Banerjee urged the Speaker not to accord any recognition to the breakaway faction. The move marks the latest escalation in the political crisis engulfing the Mamata Banerjee-led party after its crushing defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections.
The rebels have also pledged support to the NDA in Parliament. If accepted, the merger would transform NCPI from a little-known regional outfit into a parliamentary bloc of 20 MPs, making it the fourth-largest party in the Lok Sabha and the second-largest constituent within the NDA after BJP.
Why are the rebels merging with NCPI?
The rebel MPs appear to have chosen the merger route to navigate the anti-defection law, which does not recognise a split within a party but permits a merger when at least two-thirds of a party's legislators join another party.
The dissident camp claims that 20 of the Trinamool Congress's 28 Lok Sabha MPs have backed the move, comfortably crossing the two-thirds threshold required under the law. The group has also sought a separate seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha. While some rebel leaders continue to favour staking claim to the Trinamool Congress name and symbol in the future, merging with NCPI is being viewed as a legally safer route ahead of the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
Who are the 20 rebel MPs?
The rebel bloc comprises: 1. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar 2. Satabdi Roy 3. Bapi Haldar 4. Sharmila Sarkar 5. Sharmila Bandyopadhyay 6. Jagadish Barma Basunia 7. Asit Kumar Mal 8. Arup Chakraborty 9. Rachna Banerjee 10. Saayoni Ghosh 11. Khalilur Rahaman 12. Abu Taher Khan 13. Yusuf Pathan 14. Mitali Bag 15. Mala Roy 16. Kalipada Soren 17. Deepak Adhikari 18. June Malia 19. Partha Bhowmick 20. Sudip Bandyopadhyay According to rebel MP Arup Chakraborty, first-time MP Saayoni Ghosh is likely to lead the group in Parliament. "Saayoni Ghosh is our leader. Under the leadership of Bengal's CM, our double-engine government wants to work for the interest of the nation. If BJP asks for our help, we will help them. If we want their help, we will ask for it," Chakraborty said.
What is NCPI?
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India is a registered but unrecognised political party whose office is in Howrah, West Bengal. Its president is listed as Sheuli Kundu, an advocate practising at the Calcutta High Court. The party shot into the spotlight after the merger announcement, but its electoral record remains modest. NCPI contested the 2023 Tripura assembly elections under the slogan: "To save your rights, reject political turncoats. Support social workers, not political personalities." The party fielded candidates in three constituencies, Chawamanu, Ambassa and Kailashahar, after another candidate's nomination was rejected during scrutiny.
Its election symbol was a pen nib. Its best-known candidate, Barjeda Tripura, secured just 536 votes in Chawamanu, narrowly ahead of NOTA's tally of 500 votes. Speaking to PTI after learning about the merger, the 62-year-old daily wage labourer expressed surprise. "I contested in 2023. What has happened three years later now?" he said. The dramatic contrast between NCPI's electoral footprint and its potential parliamentary strength has become one of the most striking aspects of the Trinamool split.
What are the rebels saying?
After meeting the Speaker, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said the group had formally informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat of its decision. "Two-thirds MPs of TMC have given a letter to the Speaker for a separate seating arrangement. We will merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and support the NDA," she said. Sudip Bandyopadhyay also confirmed that the dissident camp had merged with NCPI. "We are merging with Nationalist Citizens' Party. Moving forward, we will work for the nation and collaborate with NDA under the leadership of the Prime Minister," he said.
What is TMC saying?
The Mamata Banerjee camp has challenged the rebels' claims and dismissed the merger as politically and legally untenable. Senior TMC leader Sougata Roy ridiculed the decision to join NCPI. "Once you betray the party on whose symbol you were elected, how will you face your constituents? This merger is ridiculous. Who knows NCPI? Can they go to their constituencies and tell people that they are now part of NCPI?" Roy told PTI. He further alleged that the move was backed by…
Read the full article at Times of India →📄Source document: Local residents
6 reports
Times of IndiaIndependentCenter2 days agoTMC leader Vijay Singh was allegedly pelted with eggs by a crowd outside a court in West Bengal, where protesters shouted 'chor, chor' (thief, thief) at him. This incident follows a similar event involving former TMC leader Udayan Guha, who was also targeted with eggs outside a police station in Cooch Behar. Guha was arrested in connection with an alleged extortion case. Locals reported that eggs were thrown at Guha as he was escorted to a prison van, and BJP leaders accused him of perpetrating political violence and harassment against their workers during his time in office.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on events without overtly favoring any political side. It includes details from both the TMC leadership and the BJP, providing context about the incidents and allegations made by both parties. There is no clear editorializing or biased language that leans toward one group over另一方
Official sources cited
- court Local residents
- court Jibesh Biswas (local BJP leader)
The HinduIndependentCenter6 days agoThe Trinamool Congress (TMC) has criticized the merger of dissenting TMC members with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), calling it 'ridiculous.' The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has interpreted the merger as an indication of internal turmoil within the TMC. Senior TMC leader Saugata Roy questioned the political viability of the NCPI and suggested the move was driven by the dissidents' desire to align with the BJP.
Bias read (Center): The article presents statements from both the TMC and BJP without overtly favoring one side. It reports on the political developments and reactions from both parties without using biased language or selectively omitting perspectives.
Official sources cited
- government TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
- government Saugata Roy
Times of IndiaIndependentCenter6 days ago Meet NCPI: The little-known party at centre of TMC rebellion could become NDA's second-largest allyA group of dissident Trinamool Congress (TMC) members, including MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Mala Roy, and Yusuf Pathan, have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a small political party. This move comes amid a rebellion within the TMC following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections. The rebels have pledged support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Parliament. If accepted, the merger would elevate NCPI to a parliamentary bloc of 20 MPs, making it the fourth-largest party in the Lok Sabha and the second-largest within
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about political developments without overtly favoring any side. It describes events objectively, focusing on the actions of various political groups and their implications.
Hindustan TimesIndependentCenter6 days agoShantanu Dey, founder and National Organising Secretary of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), stated that he learned about the merger of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs with his party through social media and news reports. The article includes several updates regarding the ongoing political developments involving TMC rebels, including comments from various individuals reacting to the merger.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual updates on political events without apparent ideological framing or biased language. It presents quotes and statements from multiple parties involved without overtly favoring any side.
Hindustan TimesIndependentCenter8 days ago Is a BJP MP from Andhra behind rebellion in TMC?A BJP MP from Andhra Pradesh, CM Ramesh, is reportedly encouraging members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to switch allegiance, using personal connections and offering support from the central government.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual statement without overtly biased language or framing. It reports on alleged actions by an individual without taking a stance or emphasizing any particular ideological perspective.
Times of IndiaIndependentCenter10 days ago TMC may be headed NCP, Sena way, rebels claim support of 19 of 28 MPsSources within the rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) claim to have secured the support of 19 out of 28 Lok Sabha MPs, positioning them to represent the parliamentary wing of the party. This move mirrors the strategy used by breakaway factions in the West Bengal assembly. The rebels aim to avoid immediate merger with the BJP to prevent disqualification, following a precedent set by similar factions in Shiv Sena and NCP. The group includes notable figures such as Satabdi Roy, Bapi Haldar, Partha Bhowmick, and others.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about political developments within the TMC without overtly favoring any side. It reports on claims made by both the rebel faction and the existing leadership but does not take a stance or use biased language.
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