NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urging him to “decline any recognition to separate faction of TMC”.Abhishek said reports suggesting that a group of TMC MPs may seek recognition as an independent bloc were legally untenable. He asserted that the TMC remains a “single, indivisible political party” and argued that no member or group of members can create a parallel faction and claim separate recognition within the House.”The AITC is a single, indivisible political party. The legislative party in the Lok Sabha derives its very existence from, and remains an emanation of, the political party. There is in law only one AITC, one Leader of the Party in the House, and one Whip, all of whom hold office by authority of the political party and its competent organisational authority. No member or set of members can, by their own volition, carve out a parallel ‘group’ or ‘faction’ of the same party and claim independent recognition within the House,” he said in the letter.Abhishek cited the Supreme Court’s 2023 Constitution Bench judgment in the Shiv Sena split case to contend that the defence of a “split” no longer exists under the Tenth Schedule. He maintained that even if two-thirds of a legislature party were to break away, it would not automatically qualify for protection under the anti-defection law unless there is also a merger of the political party itself. The TMC leader urged the Speaker to treat the party as a single entity represented only through its authorised leader and whip, and to deny recognition, status or facilities to any breakaway group.This comes amid claims by rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar that the dissident camp’s strength has risen to 22 MPs in the 28-member TMC contingent in the Lok Sabha.Dissident MPs have reportedly sought recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc, while several rebel lawmakers have also held meetings with senior BJP leaders in New Delhi, intensifying the political crisis facing Mamata Banerjee’s party.
