- By Talibuddin Khan
- Mon, 15 Jun 2026 01:53 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
TMC Crisis: Facing its biggest internal crisis since its formation in 1998, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been rocked by the exodus of 20 rebel Lok Sabha MPs. While many expected the dissidents to follow the familiar path taken by numerous defectors in recent years and join the BJP, they instead opted for a far more unusual route.
The rebel MPs have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a little-known Tripura-based registered but unrecognised political party. Ironically, the NCPI's lack of political significance appears to have been its biggest advantage, offering the rebels a legally safer exit from the TMC while allowing the BJP to benefit from their support in Parliament without immediately inducting them into the party.
Calculated Legal Strategy
At first glance, the decision to merge with an obscure regional outfit may seem puzzling. However, political observers believe the move is rooted in legal strategy as much as political calculation. According to analysts, the NCPI route provides the dissident MPs with a legally defensible pathway out of the TMC while helping them preserve their collective strength in Parliament.
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At the same time, it enables the BJP-led NDA to secure its support without triggering immediate political complications in West Bengal. While the TMC leadership has sought to downplay the rebellion, opposition leaders and political observers view the development as a carefully crafted parliamentary and legal manoeuvre.
Why Did The Rebels Choose NCPI?
According to sources, the rebels initially planned to break away from the TMC parliamentary party with the support of at least two-thirds of its MPs, form a separate group in Parliament and extend support to the BJP-led NDA.
However, parliamentary rules and anti-defection provisions left little room for such an arrangement. Faced with these legal hurdles, the MPs turned to the NCPI, which offered something an independent rebel bloc could not, legitimacy and procedural protection.
For the rebels, political obscurity was not a drawback. It was the strategy. A senior rebel MP said the decision was driven by "practical considerations rather than ideology."
"We wanted to move collectively and create a political space outside Mamata Banerjee's control without triggering unnecessary procedural hurdles. The NCPI route offered a workable parliamentary solution," the MP said, as quoted by PTI.
Lessons From The Bengal Assembly Rebellion
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty believes the Lok Sabha rebels have learned from the complications that followed the parallel rebellion within the West Bengal Assembly. "This is less of a political merger than a legal device," Chakraborty remarked, arguing that the MPs are keen to avoid the legal disputes that emerged after the split within the TMC's legislative wing in the West Bengal Assembly.
The contrast between the two rebellions is significant. In the Assembly, dissident legislators projected themselves as the "real" TMC, elected their own leader and openly challenged the authority of the party's official leadership. The result was prolonged litigation and competing claims over legitimacy.
The Lok Sabha rebels, however, have deliberately stayed away from that battle. They are neither claiming to be the authentic TMC nor attempting to seize control of the party's organisation, election symbol or institutional structure.
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Instead, they appear to have accepted that the organisational control of the TMC will remain firmly with Mamata Banerjee, while focusing solely on separating the party's parliamentary wing from her influence.
TMC Dismisses Threat To Party Structure
Senior TMC leader Sougata Roy, however, dismissed suggestions that the rebellion could weaken the party. "Some MPs may leave, but the Trinamool Congress belongs to Mamata Banerjee. The organisation, workers and people remain with her. Those who think they can weaken the party by changing labels are mistaken," Roy said as quoted by PTI.
Senior advocate and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee maintained that control over the party remains firmly with its leadership. "Elected representatives may leave, but control over the party organisation, symbol and funds remains elsewhere. That makes any attempt to capture the party structure extraordinarily difficult," he said.
BJP's Calculated Distance
The BJP's role in the unfolding political drama has also attracted attention. According to reports, several discussions involving the rebels were held with senior BJP leaders, including meetings at the residence of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav. Yet the BJP has shown little enthusiasm for immediately inducting the rebel MPs into the party.
Political analysts say the hesitation reflects West Bengal's political realities. Many of the rebels spent years attacking the BJP and contesting elections against it. While their support strengthens the NDA numerically in Parliament, their wholesale induction could create friction within the BJP's Bengal unit.
Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty argued that the NCPI route solved two problems simultaneously; first, it allowed the rebels to move collectively without becoming entangled in legal complications. Secondly, it enabled the BJP to secure parliamentary support without forcing an uncomfortable political merger in West Bengal.