KOLKATA: In one of the biggest political shocks West Bengal has witnessed in recent years, 20 Lok Sabha MPs have reportedly walked out of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined a little-known organisation called the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
The move has stunned political observers across the country. Many expected the rebel MPs to join the BJP, as has happened in several high-profile defections over the past decade. Instead, they chose NCPI, a little-known outfit based in Tripura that reportedly lacks formal political recognition.
Political analysts believe the decision was not driven by ideology but by strategy.
According to reports, the rebel MPs were looking for a legally safer route to break away from the TMC without triggering complicated parliamentary and anti-defection challenges. By merging with another organisation rather than forming a separate faction, the MPs may have found a way to avoid several legal hurdles.
The rebellion is being described as the biggest political crisis faced by the TMC since the party was founded by Mamata Banerjee in 1998.
Observers say the move allows the MPs to distance themselves from Mamata Banerjee’s leadership while avoiding a direct battle over the party’s name, symbol, or organisational structure. Unlike previous political splits, the rebels have not claimed to be the “real TMC” nor have they attempted to take control of the party.
Instead, they have effectively acknowledged Mamata Banerjee’s control over the Trinamool Congress and chosen a separate political path.
Some political commentators argue that the decision could also indirectly benefit the BJP. While the rebel MPs have not formally joined the BJP, their new political position could potentially strengthen support for the NDA in Parliament without creating the burden of absorbing a large group of defectors directly.
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty described the development as more of a legal strategy than a traditional political merger. According to him, the MPs appear to have learned lessons from earlier political disputes in the West Bengal Assembly and have carefully structured their exit to avoid prolonged legal battles.
Despite the dramatic developments, senior TMC leader Saugata Roy dismissed concerns about the party’s future. He insisted that the Trinamool Congress remains firmly under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership and that the party organisation and grassroots workers continue to stand with her.
“Some MPs may have left, but the Trinamool Congress belongs to Mamata Banerjee. The party’s strength remains intact,” he said.
Whether this rebellion becomes a turning point in West Bengal politics or remains a temporary setback for the TMC will become clearer in the months ahead. For now, the departure of 20 MPs has sent shockwaves through India’s political landscape and raised fresh questions about the future of opposition politics in the country.