A rebel faction of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs announced June 14, 2026, that they are merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party [1].
This move represents a significant fracture within the TMC and shifts the parliamentary balance toward the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The defection signals deepening internal rifts within the party in West Bengal.
The group is led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who said the faction intends to align with the current administration. "We will sit separately in Parliament and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Dastidar said [2].
To formalize their new status, the MPs met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi to request separate seating arrangements [3]. This separation allows the group to operate independently from the main TMC bloc while maintaining their seats in the lower house.
Reports on the size of the rebel group vary slightly. One source identifies a 20-strong rebel faction [4], while another reports that 19 MPs signed a dissent note [5]. The group cited internal party conflicts as the primary driver for their departure.
While some reports refer to the entity as the Nationalist Citizen Party of India (NCPI) [6], other sources identify it as the Nationalist Citizens Party [1]. The group has pledged its full support to the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi [2].
“"We will sit separately in Parliament and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."”
The merger of a substantial bloc of TMC MPs into a party supporting the NDA weakens the opposition's presence in the Lok Sabha and potentially destabilizes the TMC's influence in West Bengal. By seeking separate seating, the rebel MPs are attempting to avoid immediate disqualification under anti-defection laws while strategically aligning themselves with the ruling coalition.
