20 Rebel TMC MPs to Merge with Nationalist Citizens Party of India

New Delhi. After many days of speculation, 20 rebel MPs of Trinamool Congress finally informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi about their decision to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

The rebel MPs have decided to merge with a registered regional political party instead of forming a separate group within the Trinamool Congress. It is said that such a decision has been taken to avoid legal complications that may arise under the anti-defection law. According to that law, if two-thirds of the MPs or MLAs of a political party decide to merge with another party, then both sides, those going to the new party and those staying in the old party, are not disqualified.

"We have met the Speaker and requested him to arrange for us to sit separately. We are more than two-thirds of the Trinamool Congress MPs and are merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. For the good of the country, we will work together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA," said Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar while talking to the media.

The Speaker's office confirmed that 19 MPs were present at the meeting. However, the rebel faction claimed that they have the support of 20 MPs. Sudip Bandyopadhyay also joined the group on Saturday (June 13).

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, the senior-most MP of the rebel faction, said that although they are merging with NCPI for now, they will demand recognition as the Trinamool Congress once the parliamentary session begins in July, as he claims to have the support of two-thirds of the party's MPs.

"We will merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party, which is a registered regional party. This is the process. When you leave with two-thirds of the party members, you cannot claim the name of the same party on the first day. In July, we will demand recognition as the Trinamool Congress, because we have two-thirds of the MPs. Then the court will decide," Bandyopadhyay said.

According to the Election Commission of India, NCPI was registered in January 2023. Its office is registered in Sankrail in Howrah district of West Bengal.

After the defeat of Trinamool Congress in the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, most of its Lok Sabha MPs decided to form a separate group. They also held a meeting at the residence of Union Minister and BJP leader Bhupender Yadav.

Most of the rebel MPs gathered at Yadav's residence before meeting the Speaker on Sunday (June 14). The decision to merge with a regional party, almost unknown in political circles, has surprised many.

Before meeting the Speaker, two MPs considered loyal to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee also met Om Birla and handed over a letter from Abhishek Banerjee. The letter, sent by the party's leader in the Lok Sabha, Abhishek Banerjee, urged that Trinamool Congress be treated as a single party represented by its official whip and leader, and no separate group be recognized.

The letter states, "I humbly request that this request be recorded and AITC be accepted in the House as the sole political party represented through its duly authorized leader and whip, and no alleged separate group or faction of AITC be granted any recognition, status, or facility."

The letter also mentioned that AITC should be given an opportunity to present its side before any decision is taken.

Trinamool Congress had won 29 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After the death of Trinamool MP Haji Sheikh Nurul Islam from Basirhat in September 2024, the party's strength in the Lok Sabha decreased to 28.

The eight MPs who remained loyal to Mamata Banerjee are Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, Saugata Roy, Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha, Pratima Mondal, and Sajda Ahmed.

Before the rebellion of the Lok Sabha MPs, about 60 out of 80 MLAs of Trinamool Congress had also revolted against the party leadership and supported expelled MLA Rritabrata Banerjee. Rritabrata Banerjee was then elected Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.