Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari meets 20 rebel MPs in Delhi amid TMC disqualification push
Synopsis
Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari's meeting with 20 rebel ex-TMC MPs in New Delhi — held just 24 hours after TMC formally pressed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for their disqualification — signals that both sides are hardening positions before a ruling that could redraw West Bengal's political map in Parliament.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari met 20 former TMC Lok Sabha members at Banga Bhavan, New Delhi on 28 July .
The rebel MPs had defected to the National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI) after the West Bengal Assembly election results.
TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla a day earlier, urging expeditious disposal of disqualification petitions against the 20 MPs .
The Speaker has not yet formally recognised the switch to NCPI, but separate seating has already been allotted to the group in the Lok Sabha.
Discussions reportedly covered MPLAD fund utilisation and West Bengal-related issues to be raised during the Monsoon Session of Parliament .
The Speaker's eventual ruling is expected to have significant implications for both the rebel MPs and the TMC's Lok Sabha strength.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari travelled to New Delhi on Tuesday, 28 July to meet the 20 former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha members who defected to the National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI) shortly after the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared. The meeting, held at Banga Bhavan in New Delhi, comes as the political battle over the rebel MPs' parliamentary status intensifies, with the TMC pressing for their disqualification under the anti-defection law.
Why the Timing Matters
The meeting was scheduled just one day after TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging the expeditious disposal of the party's disqualification petitions against the 20 MPs. Earlier, Banerjee — also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — along with senior TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee, had personally met Speaker Birla to seek the legislators' immediate disqualification. The Speaker's office is yet to issue a formal ruling.
Status of the Rebel MPs
Although Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not yet formally recognised the legislators' switch to the NCPI, separate seating arrangements have already been allotted to the group within the Lok Sabha chamber. The rebel MPs have publicly claimed alignment with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, a positioning that lends Adhikari's outreach clear political logic.
What Was on the Agenda
The official agenda for the meeting was not disclosed, but sources familiar with the development indicated that discussions were expected to cover issues concerning West Bengal and parliamentary coordination. The effective utilisation of Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds through improved coordination with the state government was cited as a likely topic. 'There might be discussion on which West Bengal-related issues will be raised by these MPs on the floor of Parliament during the Monsoon Session of the House,' a state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
Broader Political Implications
The meeting unfolds against the backdrop of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, with the fate of the disqualification petitions still hanging in the balance. The Speaker's eventual ruling is expected to carry significant consequences — for the rebel MPs' continued parliamentary status, for the TMC's strength in the Lok Sabha, and for the NDA's arithmetic in the lower house. This is the first high-profile face-to-face between Adhikari and the NCPI MPs since their defection, signalling that both sides are consolidating their positions ahead of the Speaker's decision.
Point of View
While delay hands TMC a grievance to amplify. The anti-defection law was designed precisely to prevent this kind of floor-crossing, yet the separate seating already granted to the NCPI group suggests the system is accommodating the switch in practice even before a formal verdict. The longer the Speaker defers, the more entrenched the new political reality becomes.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari meet the 20 rebel MPs in New Delhi?
Adhikari met the 20 former TMC Lok Sabha members who joined the NCPI at Banga Bhavan in New Delhi on 28 July to discuss West Bengal-related parliamentary issues and MPLAD fund coordination. The meeting also signals NDA solidarity with the rebel MPs ahead of the Lok Sabha Speaker's ruling on their disqualification.
What is the TMC's disqualification petition about?
The TMC has filed petitions with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking the disqualification of 20 of its former MPs who switched to the NCPI after the West Bengal Assembly election results. TMC argues the defection violates the anti-defection law. The Speaker has not yet issued a ruling.
Who is Abhishek Banerjee and what role is he playing?
Abhishek Banerjee is the TMC National General Secretary and nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He wrote to Speaker Om Birla urging expeditious disposal of the disqualification petitions and had earlier met the Speaker in person alongside TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee.
Have the rebel MPs been formally recognised as NCPI members in the Lok Sabha?
Not yet formally. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not officially recognised the legislators' switch to the NCPI. However, separate seating arrangements have already been allotted to the group within the Lok Sabha chamber.
What happens if the Lok Sabha Speaker disqualifies the 20 MPs?
If disqualified under the anti-defection law, the 20 MPs would lose their Lok Sabha seats, triggering by-elections in their constituencies. This would also alter the NDA's parliamentary arithmetic and significantly affect TMC's opposition positioning in the lower house.
