TMC Rebel MPs Join NCPI: A New Political Equation in India

In a dramatic political realignment in June 2026, twenty rebel Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) announced their merger with the hitherto obscure Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). This strategic move aimed to circumvent the stringent provisions of India's anti-defection law, which penalizes lawmakers for voluntarily giving up party membership or voting against their party's whip. By merging with an existing political entity, the rebel faction, representing more than two-thirds of the TMC's Lok Sabha strength at the time, sought to retain their parliamentary seats while aligning with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Nationalist Citizens Party of India, a West Bengal-based outfit, was founded in 2022 and formally registered with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on January 20, 2023, as a Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP). Its headquarters are located in Howrah, West Bengal. Prior to this high-profile merger, the NCPI had a negligible electoral footprint, having contested the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections with poor results, with its candidates collectively polling less than 1,000 votes across four constituencies. The individuals behind the NCPI, as highlighted by ThePrint, played a crucial role in its sudden prominence. Shewly Kundu, an advocate practicing at the Calcutta High Court, was named the party's president and chairperson at the time of its registration. Her husband, Uttiya Kundu, described as a Bengali newspaper editor, mathematics teacher, motivational speaker, ISO auditor, health consultant, and yoga volunteer, was listed as the party's vice-president on posters for the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections. Saikat Das served as the general secretary and Sudam Jetty as the treasurer. At the time of ThePrint's article publication on June 15, 2026, Shewly Kundu had reportedly stepped down from the presidency, leading to initial uncertainty about the party's leadership. However, subsequent reports indicated a rapid leadership reshuffle following the merger. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a prominent figure among the dissident TMC MPs, was elected president of the NCPI on June 15-16, 2026, marking a significant change in the party's hierarchy. Further reports on June 17, 2026, also mentioned Jyotiprakash Chatterji as the new president, reflecting a dynamic and somewhat confusing internal situation within the newly expanded party. The rebel TMC MPs, including Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about their merger with the NCPI and sought separate seating arrangements in the Parliament. The Speaker subsequently approved the separate seating for the 20 rebel MPs. This move, if formally recognized as a legitimate merger under the anti-defection law, would prevent their disqualification and allow them to continue as MPs under the NCPI banner. The rebel group has explicitly indicated their support for the BJP-led NDA, effectively making the NCPI a key constituent of the ruling coalition. With 20 MPs, the NCPI instantly became the fifth largest political party in the Lok Sabha and, notably, the second largest ally of the NDA. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, vehemently opposed the merger, labeling the breakaway group as "traitors" and asserting that the TMC remains under her sole leadership. The TMC has challenged the legal validity of the merger, arguing that the MPs voluntarily forfeited their membership by joining another political formation and that their claimed merger with NCPI is not protected under the anti-defection law. The party is preparing to move the Supreme Court to seek the disqualification of these 20 rebel Lok Sabha MPs, indicating a prolonged legal and political battle ahead. The political implications are significant for West Bengal and national politics. The merger, seen by many as a carefully orchestrated legal and political strategy involving BJP leaders, provided the rebel MPs a pathway into a new political future without immediate disqualification proceedings. However, the NCPI's lack of independent ground presence in West Bengal and the fact that many new leaders entered politics as celebrities rather than grassroots politicians raise questions about its long-term viability as a standalone force in the state. Despite this, the BJP has reportedly invested considerable energy in shaping this arrangement, valuing the parliamentary numbers provided by the 20 MPs, especially for legislative business. This episode underscores the complexities of India's anti-defection law and the constant churn in political alliances, particularly in states like West Bengal where political loyalties can shift rapidly. The future of the rebel MPs and the ultimate recognition of the NCPI as a merged entity by the Speaker, and potentially the courts, will have lasting consequences for parliamentary dynamics and the political landscape in India.

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