Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is expected to decide today whether 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs can merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India [1].
The decision carries significant weight as it could shift the seating arrangement and political alignment in the lower house just before the start of the monsoon session. The rebel MPs have signaled support for the National Democratic Alliance and are seeking official recognition and separate seating [1], [3].
The move has sparked immediate backlash from opposition parties. Members of the Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) walked out of an all-party meeting after the government invited the 20 rebel MPs to the session [3]. Mahua Moitra (TMC) said the government was criticized for extending this invitation on July 19 [4].
Reports on the current status of the merger vary. Some sources indicate Speaker Birla is likely to approve the request [1], while others report that he has already approved the merger and allotted separate seats to the 20 rebel TMC MPs [2].
This administrative decision arrives on the eve of the monsoon session of Parliament, which is scheduled to begin on July 20, 2026 [3]. Speaker Birla has chaired a Business Advisory Committee meeting to seek cooperation from all parties to ensure the session proceeds without disruption [5].
The rebel MPs are attempting to avoid disqualification and secure a formal platform within the NCPI. By securing a merger, these lawmakers would transition from being dissidents within their original party to official members of a different political entity, a move that would formalize their break from the TMC leadership.
“Speaker Om Birla is expected to decide today whether 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs can merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India”
The potential merger of 20 TMC rebels into the NCPI represents a strategic shift in the Lok Sabha's composition. If approved, it validates the movement of lawmakers toward the National Democratic Alliance, weakening the Trinamool Congress's official strength while providing the government with a more cohesive block of support. The opposition's walkout underscores a deepening divide over the legitimacy of such mergers and the Speaker's role in facilitating them.
