20 rebel Trinamool Lok Sabha MPs seek to merge with Nationalist Citizen Party of India

Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at his residence in New Delhi, announcing their decision to merge with the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The rebels cited legal complications under anti-defection law as a reason for merging with the registered regional party rather than forming a separate bloc within the Trinamool Congress. The MPs claim support from 20 members, with senior MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay joining the group on Saturday. Abhishek Banerjee, leader of the Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha, previously submitted a letter to Speaker Birla urging him not to recognize any separate groups within the party. The decision has surprised political circles and raises questions about the future of the Trinamool Congress.