West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is set to visit New Delhi to meet with 20 former Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha members who recently joined the National Citizens’ Party of India (NCPI). The meeting is significant as it follows TMC’s push for the disqualification of these rebel MPs under the anti-defection law.
The meeting gains importance as it coincides with TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s request to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to expedite the party’s disqualification petitions against the 20 MPs. Despite no formal recognition from the Speaker for the MPs’ switch to NCPI, they have been assigned separate seating in the Lok Sabha.
Adhikari’s meeting with the NCPI MPs has drawn attention amidst the ongoing political turmoil. The rebel MPs, claiming alliance with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), are expected to discuss West Bengal issues and parliamentary coordination during the scheduled meeting in New Delhi.
Sources suggest that the meeting’s agenda may include discussions on effective utilization of MPLAD funds for West Bengal development and coordination with the state government. The outcome of the Speaker’s decision on the disqualification petitions, amid the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, holds significant political implications for both the rebel MPs and the Trinamool Congress.
