TMC's Kirti Azad calls 20 rebel MPs 'traitors' over NCPI merger

TMC MP Kirti Azad called 20 rebel party MPs 'traitors' for merging with the NCPI. He claimed the new party is 'unrecognised' and the merger is undemocratic, alleging a rift among rebels over ministerial posts.

TMC Slams Rebel MPs' Merger

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kirti Azad on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the 20 rebel TMC MPs who merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, calling them "traitors" and questioning the legal standing of the political entity they have joined.

Speaking to ANI, Azad dismissed the move by the breakaway faction and confirmed that the TMC has officially communicated its stand to the Lok Sabha Speaker. "Our letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker clearly states that the real TMC is that of Mamata Banerjee, because the political party is hers. The letter given (by 20 rebel TMC MPs) to the Speaker is misleading," Azad said.

Azad further claimed that the move was driven by personal ambition rather than ideology, alleging a rift among the rebels over potential ministerial positions. "There is a rebellion among the traitors (rebel TMC MPs) over who will become a minister (MoS). The party they have merged with has no representation in Parliament. It is an unrecognised and unregistered party. It has no identity," Azad said.

The TMC leader further slammed the move as "undemocratic," suggesting that the merger holds no political or legal weight given the status of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. "This is not democratic. How can you merge with a party that has no presence? They are fighting amongst themselves for posts in a party that doesn't even exist on the parliamentary map," he added.

Rebels Claim Merger Bypasses Anti-Defection Law

This comes after a major political churn has gripped West Bengal politics as 20 Lok Sabha MPs of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and extended support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

This high-stakes manoeuvre, executed to navigate the complexities of the anti-defection law, has effectively realigned the strength of the TMC.

On June 14, the rebel faction, led by senior parliamentarian Sudip Bandyopadhyay, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to submit a formal request for separate seating arrangements. By merging with the NCPI, the group claims to have bypassed the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. Under the anti-defection law, a merger is permissible if at least two-thirds of a legislative party joins another. With 20 MPs in their camp, the rebels assert they have comfortably exceeded this threshold.

The Nationalist Citizens Party of India, a Tripura-based party, has suddenly been into the national limelight. Despite its limited organisational footprint, the party has welcomed the influx of high-profile leaders, with national organising secretary Shantanu Dey stating that he is eager to see the party grow and work in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. (ANI)

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