NEW DELHI: The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a little-known political outfit registered only in 2023, has suddenly found itself at the centre of national politics after 20 dissident Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs announced on Sunday that they would merge with the party and back the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The move, if approved by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, would transform the NCPI from an unrecognised fringe party with no MPs, MLAs or local body representatives into the fifth largest party in the Lok Sabha and the second largest constituent of the NDA.
The development unfolded as a deepening rebellion rocked the TMC, with the dissident MPs meeting Birla and seeking a separate seating arrangement in the House. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said 20 TMC MPs had signed a representation submitted to the Speaker. "Two-thirds of TMC MPs have given a letter to the speaker for a separate seating arrangement. We will merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party and support the NDA," she said.
The announcement has unexpectedly propelled the NCPI into the national spotlight, drawing attention to a party that until now had remained largely unknown outside limited political circles.
A party with humble beginnings
The NCPI registered itself with the Election Commission of India in January 2023. According to ECI records, the party's registered address is a building in Sankarail in West Bengal's Howrah district. Its available financial records reveal modest beginnings. In its annual auditor's report for the financial year 2022-23, the party reported receiving Rs 1,13,075 in donations from "well-wishers" and spending nearly the entire amount during the year. The party closed the financial year with just Rs 75 in cash.
Of its expenditure of around Rs 1.13 lakh, Rs 49,400 was spent on the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, one of the party's earliest electoral ventures. Among its nine contributors were founder president Shewly Kundu and vice-president Uttiya Kundu, who contributed Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000 respectively. The party's contribution reports and auditor's statements for 2023-24 and 2024-25 are not available in ECI records.
First electoral test in Tripura
The NCPI's debut electoral efforts came during the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, where it fielded four candidates and campaigned under the slogan: "Reject political turncoats". Of the four candidates, two contested on the party symbol, one contested as an Independent and the nomination of another candidate was rejected. The results highlighted the party's limited reach at the time. Candidate Barjeda Tripura secured 536 votes, narrowly exceeding the NOTA tally by 36 votes, while another NCPI candidate received 286 votes. The Independent candidate associated with the party obtained 376 votes. Barjeda told PTI on Sunday that he works as a daily wage labourer and was unaware of the dramatic political developments surrounding the party.
Unusual leadership profile
The party's leadership has also attracted attention because of the diverse professional backgrounds claimed by its founders. Shewly Kundu, the founder president, describes herself as an advocate at the Calcutta High Court. Her listed qualifications include "MSc in Mathematics, Ex MBA, LLM" along with several certifications covering fields ranging from financial markets to land surveying. On Monday, Shewly told reporters that she had stepped down as president of the party. Uttiya Kundu describes himself as a "Bengali newspaper editor, mathematics teacher, motivational speaker, ISO auditor, health consultant and yoga volunteer". His stated qualifications include an MSc in Mathematics as well as various diplomas in yoga training, technical courses and land surveying. His social media activity has also drawn notice. On May 13, shortly after the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Uttiya posted a photograph with senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, captioning it: "with your determination, may every speck of dust in Bengal be revitalised".
Questions emerge after merger announcement
Even as the proposed merger has elevated the NCPI's profile, questions have emerged about decision-making within the party. Shantanu Dey, who describes himself as the party's "national organisation general secretary", on Monday said he had been taken by surprise by the TMC MPs' announcement but welcomed the prospect of expansion. "It is good if people join us, as the party will grow," Dey said. He added that the organisation preferred collective decision-making and that the matter should be discussed internally. "So far, I was the decision maker. Now, a leadership will come. But we want a decision to be taken after taking the members into confidence," he said. Dey also said his term would continue until 2027 under the party constitution. However, Shewly disputed his claim to any official position, stating that Dey was not a party office-bearer and had only been associated with the NCPI during the Tripura elections.
From unrecognised party to national relevance?
The NCPI is classified as a Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP), meaning it is registered with the Election Commission but has not met the requirements for recognition as a state or national party. Until the TMC rebellion erupted, the party had no elected representatives at any level of government and little electoral footprint. The Speaker's decision on the proposed merger could now determine whether a party that once ended a financial year with just Rs 75 in cash becomes one of the largest political forces in the Lok Sabha almost overnight.
