NCPI Open to Merger With Rebel TMC MPs as Numbers May Rise to 22: Kakoli Dastidar

A fresh political development in West Bengal has triggered speculation over a possible realignment in Parliament, with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) expressing its readiness to accept the merger of rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) Members of Parliament. Senior TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar stated that the number of MPs supporting the move could increase to 22, a figure that would carry significant implications under the country’s anti-defection law.
According to Dastidar, discussions surrounding the proposed merger are ongoing, and more TMC parliamentarians may join the dissident group in the coming days. The projected strength of 22 MPs is crucial, as it would cross the two-thirds threshold required under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which governs disqualification on grounds of defection. Meeting this criterion could enable the legislators to avoid losing their seats in the Lok Sabha.
The NCPI leadership has reportedly conveyed its willingness to accommodate the rebel lawmakers if the merger proposal is formally placed before the appropriate authorities. Such a development could substantially enhance the party’s representation in the lower house of Parliament and alter the existing political equations at the national level.
The matter is expected to reach the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker, who will examine whether the conditions laid down by the anti-defection provisions have been fulfilled. The Speaker’s decision is likely to play a decisive role in determining the future status of the rebel MPs.
For the ruling TMC leadership in West Bengal, the possibility of losing a sizeable section of its parliamentary contingent presents a serious political challenge. If the merger materialises with the support of 22 MPs, it could emerge as one of the most significant splits in the party’s history and reshape the dynamics of opposition politics in the country.