TMC Rebels Merge with NCPI; Disqualification Petitions Filed

A significant political crisis has engulfed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in India, following the party's defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. A faction of approximately 19 to 20 Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) from the TMC rebelled against the party leadership, claiming to represent the 'real TMC' parliamentary group. This move escalated into a major confrontation, as the rebel MPs initially indicated their intention to approach Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek formal recognition. The core of the dispute revolves around the interpretation and application of India's anti-defection law, specifically the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The rebel faction, which includes prominent figures such as Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Satabdi Roy, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Adhikari (Dev), and Rachana Banerjee, claimed to have garnered the support of more than two-thirds of the TMC's Lok Sabha strength. This number, crucial under the anti-defection law, allows for a merger of a political party's legislative wing with another party without inviting disqualification for its members. To formalize their separation and circumvent disqualification, the rebel MPs subsequently announced their decision to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a relatively lesser-known regional political outfit that was registered with the Election Commission of India in January 2023. This merger was a strategic move by the dissident group to align themselves with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre. The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress swiftly condemned the rebel faction's actions, branding them as illegal and legally unsustainable under the provisions of the anti-defection law. Senior TMC leaders, including party MP Mahua Moitra and National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, highlighted that the 91st Constitutional Amendment of 2003 had removed the provision for a mere 'split' within a political party. Instead, the law now requires two-thirds of the original political party to *merge* with another party to avoid disqualification. According to the loyalist TMC camp, a mere formation of a separate bloc or a merger of MPs without the party's broader organizational backing does not offer legal protection. In response to the rebels' move, Abhishek Banerjee, acting as the TMC's floor leader in the Lok Sabha, promptly submitted 20 separate disqualification petitions to Speaker Om Birla against the dissenting MPs. Banerjee argued that the rebel MPs had voluntarily given up their membership of the TMC by their actions and that their claimed merger did not meet the stringent requirements for protection under the anti-defection law. He also urged the Speaker not to grant recognition, facilities, or separate status to any rebel group, emphasizing that the TMC remained a single, indivisible political entity. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's office began a review process, initiating hearings to consider arguments from both the rebel faction and the official TMC leadership. In a significant interim development in July 2026, the Speaker's office approved separate seating arrangements for the 20 rebel MPs in the Lok Sabha, physically segregating them from the remaining TMC MPs. This decision, however, did not constitute a final legal recognition of their claimed merger, which remained under review. Meanwhile, Sudip Bandyopadhyay was named the leader of the NCPI group in the Lok Sabha, and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar became its chief whip, enabling them to participate in pre-session all-party meetings. As the Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded in August 2026 without a final ruling on the status of the rebel MPs or the disqualification petitions, the Trinamool Congress expressed its intent to escalate the matter. Abhishek Banerjee met Speaker Om Birla again, demanding an early decision, and subsequently indicated that the TMC is prepared to approach the Supreme Court within the next 7-10 days to seek intervention if the Speaker fails to decide within the prescribed legal and judicial timelines. This ongoing political saga not only highlights the internal turmoil within the Trinamool Congress but also presents a crucial test for the interpretation of the anti-defection law, which aims to prevent political instability caused by frequent defections. The outcome of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for parliamentary dynamics and the future political landscape in West Bengal and at the national level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read Full Story on Quick Digest