The political landscape in West Bengal witnessed dramatic developments after 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs announced their decision to merge with the relatively lesser-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a Tripura-based outfit that had contested the 2023 state elections with the symbol of an ink pen marked by seven strokes.
The move triggered intense political buzz in both Kolkata and New Delhi, especially after 19 of the rebel MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla following discussions at Union Minister Bhupender Yadav’s residence. The MPs reportedly submitted a letter informing the Speaker of their decision to merge with the NCPI and extend support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). They also sought separate seating arrangements from the INDIA bloc members in Parliament.
Beyond West Bengal Politics
Political observers believe the development could have implications far beyond West Bengal politics. With Parliament’s Monsoon Session beginning on July 21, the NDA is expected to push for several crucial Constitutional amendment bills that would require support from a two-thirds majority.
The issue of numbers gained prominence after the Centre previously failed to secure passage of the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill linked to women’s reservation and delimitation. The proposed legislation had fallen short despite receiving 298 votes in favour against 238 opposed in the Lok Sabha.
Since then, speculation had intensified over the NDA exploring support from parties outside its formal alliance. Rumours had also surfaced about possible issue-based backing from regional parties amid tensions within opposition alliances.
Against this backdrop, the split within the Trinamool Congress is being viewed as a potential advantage for the BJP ahead of the upcoming parliamentary session.
Is BJP Behind The Rebellion?
The rapid political developments have also fuelled speculation about the BJP’s alleged role in the rebellion. Attention has particularly focused on meetings held at Bhupender Yadav’s residence, which were reportedly attended by several senior BJP leaders, including Nishikant Dubey, CM Ramesh and West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Further political intrigue followed after senior Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, considered close to Mamata Banerjee, reportedly met Union Home Minister Amit Shah after signing the rebels’ list.
However, BJP leaders have denied engineering any split within the Trinamool Congress. Suvendu Adhikari had earlier stated that the BJP had no role in internal disagreements within Mamata Banerjee’s party.
Despite the dramatic announcement, the merger move may face significant legal and political hurdles.
Several BJP leaders in West Bengal are reportedly uneasy about aligning with politicians they have opposed for years, fearing backlash from party workers at the grassroots level. At the same time, rebel MPs are said to be concerned about the legal validity of their move, as failure to defend the merger could put their Lok Sabha memberships at risk.
The issue has become more complicated after Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee reportedly wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Subhash Desai vs Governor of Maharashtra case.
According to the letter, the Supreme Court had emphasised that the original political party retains supremacy over its legislative wing and that a merger can only be considered valid if the parent political party itself merges with another organisation. A breakaway faction of MPs alone, the Trinamool argued, cannot legally justify such a merger.
