TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said on Friday that members of parliament cannot independently merge with another political party [1].
The statement follows a proposal by a rebel faction of 20 TMC MPs [1] to merge with the NCPI party and support the National Democratic Alliance. This move threatens the stability of the Trinamool Congress's legislative presence and its standing within the opposition.
Banerjee met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi on June 19, 2026 [3]. Following the meeting, Banerjee, alongside Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, left the Parliament House [2].
Speaking to the media, the TMC leader said the rebel lawmakers could not successfully shift their affiliation to another party. He addressed critics of his position with a direct challenge regarding the legality of his remarks.
"Any MP who finds my statements objectionable should take legal action against me," Banerjee said [4].
The confrontation centers on whether the 20 lawmakers [1] can bypass party leadership to align with the NCPI. The meeting with Speaker Birla was convened specifically to discuss this proposal and the rules governing party mergers in the Lok Sabha [1].
Banerjee said the party's internal structure and the rules of the house prevent such a transition. He indicated that the party would not recognize the validity of a split led by a small group of lawmakers, regardless of their intent to support the NDA [1].
“"Any MP who finds my statements objectionable should take legal action against me."”
This dispute highlights a critical tension over the Anti-Defection Law in India, where lawmakers typically cannot change parties without a two-thirds majority of their legislative wing merging. If the rebel faction attempts to merge with the NCPI, it could trigger a legal battle over the Speaker's power to disqualify members, potentially altering the balance of power in the Lok Sabha and weakening the TMC's influence.
