A faction of 20 Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs announced Sunday they have merged with the Tripura-based Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) [1].
This split represents a significant fracture within the TMC and shifts a bloc of lawmakers toward the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), potentially altering the legislative balance in the Lok Sabha.
The rebel group, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy, met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Delhi on June 14, 2026 [2]. During the meeting, the group formally requested separate recognition and seating arrangements within Parliament [3].
"We have approached the Lok Sabha Speaker to seek separate recognition for our group," Dastidar said [3].
The lawmakers stated their intention to align with the government and support the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This move transitions the 20 MPs [1] from an opposition role to a collaborative partnership with the NDA.
"We will collaborate with the NDA and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Dastidar said [4].
The merger with the NCPI provides the rebels with a formal party structure to avoid immediate disqualification under anti-defection laws. Dastidar said that the faction intends to support the government while maintaining a distinct presence in the house.
"Our 20-member faction intends to support the government and will sit separately in Parliament," Dastidar said [5].
The move has sparked a conflict over party legitimacy. While the rebels seek official recognition, the camp of Mamata Banerjee has urged the Speaker not to accord any recognition to the separate group or faction [6].
“"We will collaborate with the NDA and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."”
This merger allows the rebel MPs to maintain their legislative seats by joining an existing party, the NCPI, rather than remaining as independent members who might face different political pressures. By aligning with the NDA, the faction strengthens the Prime Minister's majority in the Lok Sabha and weakens the TMC's influence as a primary opposition force, particularly in the context of West Bengal's political representation in Delhi.
