A 20-member [1] rebel faction of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs announced they will merge with the Nationalist Citizens' Party.
This shift represents a significant fracture within the TMC, as a substantial block of lawmakers chooses to align with the ruling government rather than the party leadership. The move could alter the balance of power in the Lok Sabha and signal a broader decline in TMC's legislative cohesion.
The group is led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The announcement followed a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi [1], [2]. The Nationalist Citizens' Party is a Bengali-oriented organization based in Tripura [1], [2].
By merging with this party, the rebels intend to secure a distinct identity in Parliament. The faction said it will sit separately from other groups while coordinating its legislative efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi [1], [2].
"We will sit separately in Parliament and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Dastidar said [1].
The split follows growing tension between the rebel members and the TMC leadership. The lawmakers said a desire to work under the current administration was the primary motivation for the merger [1], [2]. This realignment marks a departure from the TMC's role as a primary opposition force in the region.
“A 20-member rebel faction of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs announced they will merge with the Nationalist Citizens' Party.”
The departure of 20 MPs weakens the Trinamool Congress's voting strength in the Lok Sabha and provides the ruling government with more legislative support. By merging with a smaller, regional party like the Nationalist Citizens' Party, the rebels avoid the immediate legal repercussions of party-switching while effectively shifting their loyalty to the Prime Minister's administration.
