A delegation of four Trinamool Congress MPs, led by Abhishek Banerjee, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to request the disqualification of 20 rebel party MPs who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. Banerjee stated that the rebel MPs’ actions were unconstitutional as they were elected as Trinamool candidates. He emphasized the need for them to resign as Lok Sabha members if they no longer wished to be part of Trinamool.
Abhishek Banerjee highlighted that according to the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, elected representatives who voluntarily give up party membership they were elected on should face disqualification. The delegation also pointed out that provisions for a merger by two-thirds of members apply to the entire political party, not just its Legislative or Parliamentary Wing.
Recently, 20 rebel Trinamool Lok Sabha members, including Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Satabdi Roy, decided to join NCPI after initially remaining as rebels within Trinamool. Trinamool currently holds 27 Lok Sabha seats, with one seat vacant following the passing of MP Haji Sk. Nurul Islam in September 2024.
