TMC Split Deepens: Speaker to Hear Both Camps on Rebels’ NCPI Merger

The crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has intensified after around 20 Lok Sabha MPs from the party announced their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and sought separate recognition in Parliament.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is expected to hear both the rebel MPs and the faction led by Mamata Banerjee before taking a decision. Sources said the Speaker is also likely to seek a legal opinion to ensure any ruling can withstand judicial scrutiny , with a decision expected before the Monsoon Session of Parliament .

The rebels, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar , claim that more than two-thirds of TMC MPs support the move and have requested a separate seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha. They have also announced support for the NDA.

The development has sparked a debate over India's anti-defection law . Former Lok Sabha Secretary-General P.D.T. Achary said the Constitution allows mergers between political parties but does not permit MPs or MLAs to independently merge with another party without the approval of the parent party. A former Election Commission official described the rebels' strategy as an unusual move not explicitly covered under existing anti-defection provisions.

The spotlight has also fallen on the little-known NCPI. Registered with the Election Commission in 2023, the party has had a limited electoral presence. Ghosh Dastidar said Jyotiprakash Chatterji has been appointed NCPI president following the resignation of founder Shewli Kundu . However, party functionary Shantanu Dey claimed he was unaware of the appointment, exposing apparent confusion within the organisation.

The dispute is shaping up as a major test of party merger rules, parliamentary procedure and anti-defection provisions , with the Speaker's eventual decision likely to set an important precedent for future political realignments.