'We saw it on Facebook': NCPI left stunned as 20 rebel TMC MPs announce shock merger

NCPI General Secretary Says Party Was Kept in the Dark

Speaking to NDTV, the NCPI's general secretary said the party leadership was unaware of any merger involving the rebel TMC parliamentarians.

"We have no information about the merger. We watched it on the news and Facebook," he said.

The leader added that party president Uttiyo Kundu and other office bearers had traditionally taken decisions collectively, making the reported development all the more puzzling.

"Uttiyo Kundu, a social worker, is our party president. We have conducted all procedures collectively, but what's happening now is beyond our understanding," he said.

According to reports, several NCPI office bearers are opposed to the merger and have questioned the manner in which the decision was allegedly taken.

Rebels Back NDA Through Little-Known Party

The controversy comes a day after 20 rebel TMC MPs, including several leaders once considered close to party chief Mamata Banerjee, announced their merger with the NCPI and extended support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The move marked a dramatic shift in strategy.

The rebel MPs were initially expected to form a separate bloc within the Lok Sabha but reportedly changed course after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee invoked constitutional provisions against such a split.

Abhishek Banerjee Writes to Speaker

In a letter sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla through TMC MPs Kirti Azad and Sagarika Ghose, Abhishek Banerjee argued that the Trinamool Congress is an indivisible entity and that a separate group cannot be legally formed within the Lok Sabha.

Backing the party's stand, Sagarika Ghose said: "This is against the Constitution. We have given the letter that those who want to break the TMC and form a separate group within the Lok Sabha are against the Constitution. The Constitution does not allow this and is against law."

Prominent Leaders Among Rebels

The group of rebel MPs reportedly includes several high-profile TMC leaders such as Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Saayoni Ghosh, Yusuf Pathan, June Maliah and Satabdi Roy.

TMC Mocks Move, Targets BJP

The rebels' decision to join a little-known political outfit has drawn sharp criticism from the TMC, which has accused the BJP of using the parliamentarians for political convenience.

TMC spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh mocked the move in a post on X, suggesting that even the BJP was unwilling to formally induct the rebels.

He alleged that the MPs, elected on anti-BJP votes, had effectively aligned themselves with the saffron camp through the back door.

TMC Faces Growing Internal Revolt

The latest development comes amid a crisis within the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly election, which saw the BJP secure power in the state for the first time with a commanding majority.

The turmoil has extended beyond Parliament. Around 60 TMC MLAs are reportedly demanding recognition as a separate bloc in the West Bengal Assembly, raising concerns about a wider split in the party.

The party's strength in the Rajya Sabha has also fallen from 13 to 10 after the resignations of Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sushmita Dev, further compounding Mamata Banerjee's political challenges.