Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stating their group merged with the Nationalist Congress Party of India (NCPI) [1].

This move represents a significant fracture within the TMC, potentially altering the balance of power in the lower house of Parliament. By aligning with the NCPI, the rebel faction aims to solidify its support for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) [1, 2].

The group includes Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh [1]. The letter was addressed to the Speaker in New Delhi and was sent on Sunday [1, 2]. This formal request for a merger is a strategic step to avoid disqualification under anti-defection laws, which typically allow for a party merger if a specific threshold of legislators agrees to the move [1].

Speaker Om Birla has not yet made a final decision on the merger. Before taking a call on the rebel faction's request, the Speaker said he invited representatives from the TMC leadership, referred to as "Team Mamata," to present their position [2].

The internal split creates a volatile situation for the TMC, as it faces the loss of 20 [1] members of its legislative delegation. The outcome of the Speaker's review will determine whether these MPs retain their seats as part of the NCPI or face removal from the Lok Sabha [1, 2].

“Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stating their group merged with the Nationalist Congress Party of India (NCPI).”

The attempt by 20 TMC lawmakers to merge with the NCPI is a tactical maneuver to shift their allegiance toward the NDA without triggering the anti-defection laws that would otherwise strip them of their parliamentary seats. If Speaker Om Birla recognizes the merger, it will significantly weaken the TMC's legislative presence and strengthen the governing coalition's numbers in the Lok Sabha.