The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has escalated its fight against rebel MPs by taking the matter to the national capital. Party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday to address the merger of 20 TMC MPs with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
Meeting with Speaker
Banerjee, accompanied by senior leaders Derek O'Brien and Saugata Roy, arrived in Delhi after consultations with party chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. The delegation sought the Speaker's intervention regarding the defection, which they argue violates anti-defection laws.
Political Crisis Deepens
The development marks a major escalation in the political crisis facing the TMC. Meanwhile, BJP leader Rahul Sinha claimed that the ruling West Bengal party is facing an unprecedented internal crisis, alleging that the rebellion threatens its political future.
Sinha stated, "The TMC is crumbling from within. The merger of 20 MPs is a clear sign that the party has lost its grip." The TMC, however, has dismissed these claims as baseless.
The Speaker's response is now being closely watched as the battle over the rebel MPs moves to Parliament. The TMC has urged the Speaker to disqualify the rebel MPs under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
Background
The crisis began when 20 TMC MPs announced their merger with the NCPI, a newly formed party. The TMC leadership has termed this a betrayal and vowed to take legal and political action.
Abhishek Banerjee said, "We will not tolerate this betrayal. The party is united, and we will fight this in Parliament and the courts."
The outcome of the meeting with the Speaker could set a precedent for handling defections in Indian politics.
