On June 18, a petition filed by TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee moved the Speaker’s office to disqualify 20 MPs who had defected from the party after the 2024 Assembly elections and joined the Nationalist Congress Party to back the NDA. The group, still listed as TMC members in parliamentary rolls, has been pushing for separate recognition and a new seat allocation since the Monsoon Session.
The rebels convened on Thursday afternoon in a Kolkata hotel, where MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay chaired the session. Leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, the bloc’s chief whip, did not attend, citing family matters. The absence sparked speculation of an internal rift, but the gathering was described by NCPI MP Rachana Banerjee as a "pre‑puja get‑together".
Rachana Banerjee insisted the meeting covered the request for an extension to respond to the Speaker’s notices. "All 20 MPs are together. We are not divided," she told NDTV. She added that the WhatsApp group claims were unfounded, noting the group name changes happen frequently.
The Speaker’s office has issued two notices demanding the MPs address the disqualification petition within 14 days. The defectors have formally asked for an additional two‑week period to prepare their reply, citing procedural concerns and the need to coordinate with NCPI leadership.
No decision has yet been announced. If the extension is denied, the 20 MPs could face disqualification under the anti‑defection law, potentially reshaping the NDA’s parliamentary majority. The Speaker is expected to rule on the extension by the end of the week, a move that will determine the next phase of the dispute.