Weeks after rebellion erupted within the Trinamool Congress, the party’s rebel MPs have made their next move. A group of 20 MPs has informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of its intention to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India — known as NCPN in Election Commission records but now widely referred to as NCPI. This little-known party has never won an election and secured only 822 votes in its lone Assembly election appearance.
Background of the Rebellion
The rebellion within the Trinamool Congress began weeks ago, with several MPs expressing dissatisfaction over party leadership and policies. The dissenters have now taken a decisive step by seeking a merger with NCPI, a party with negligible electoral footprint.
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India
NCPI, registered as NCPN with the Election Commission, has contested only one Assembly election in its history, garnering a mere 822 votes. Despite its obscurity, the party has become the chosen vehicle for the rebel MPs to escape the TMC fold without attracting anti-defection laws.
The move is seen as a strategic maneuver to bypass the anti-defection law, as a merger with another party is permitted under certain conditions. The rebel MPs have formally written to the Speaker, seeking recognition of the merger.
The development has sent shockwaves through West Bengal politics, with the TMC leadership vowing to take legal action. The Speaker’s decision on the merger will be crucial in determining the political future of the 20 MPs.
