NCPI MPs eye bloc expansion after meeting Bengal CM Adhikari in Delhi
Synopsis
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari's closed-door Delhi meeting with all 20 NCPI Lok Sabha MPs ended with a pointed signal: the bloc's numbers may soon grow. With minority MPs publicly reaffirming loyalty and three BJP Rajya Sabha members in the room, the meeting reads as a consolidation exercise — and a warning shot at TMC's Mamata Banerjee.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari met all 20 NCPI Lok Sabha members in New Delhi on Tuesday, 4 August .
Hooghly MP Rachana Banerjee indicated the bloc's strength could increase beyond 20 in the coming days.
Mathurapur MP Bapi Haldar dismissed rumours that minority MPs Khalilur Rahman , Yusuf Pathan , and Abu Taher might return to the TMC.
CM Adhikari reportedly held a separate meeting with the three Murshidabad district minority MPs during the visit.
Three newly elected BJP Rajya Sabha members — Sukhendu Sekhar Roy , Sushmita Dev , and Prakash Chik Baraik — also attended, all former TMC members.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting in New Delhi with all 20 Lok Sabha members of the National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI), with several MPs emerging from the session expressing confidence that the bloc's parliamentary strength would grow in the coming days.
MPs Signal Expansion Ahead
Actress-turned-politician and first-time Lok Sabha member from Hooghly constituency, Rachana Banerjee, was among the most direct. 'Currently, our number is 20. The number might increase in the coming days,' she told reporters after the meeting. When pressed for names of potential new entrants, Banerjee deflected: 'Better you guess.'
The remarks have intensified speculation about possible defections to the NCPI — a bloc already aligned with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — from other parliamentary groupings in West Bengal.
Minority MPs Deny Return to Trinamool
Mathurapur MP Bapi Haldar moved to quash circulating reports that three minority members within the NCPI bloc — Khalilur Rahman from Jangipur, Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan, and Murshidabad MP Abu Taher — were considering a return to the original All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) fold under Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
'NCPI is already supporting the NDA. The three MPs had some problems of their own. They told everything to the Chief Minister. There was a clear discussion. They are with us. They are with the Chief Minister for the sake of development in West Bengal,' Haldar said. It is learnt that Chief Minister Adhikari also held a separate conversation with the three minority MPs from Murshidabad district during the same visit.
Development Agenda on the Table
Actress-turned-politician and four-time Birbhum MP Satabdi Roy said the meeting included detailed discussions on development issues in West Bengal with the Chief Minister, signalling that the gathering was not solely about political arithmetic.
Three BJP Rajya Sabha Members Also Present
Beyond the 20 NCPI Lok Sabha members, three newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha members — Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik — also attended the meeting. All three were former TMC Rajya Sabha members who resigned their seats shortly after the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, joined the BJP, and were subsequently re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in the same seats they had vacated.
Their presence alongside the NCPI contingent underscores the widening realignment of Bengal's political landscape away from the Trinamool Congress. With bloc numbers potentially set to rise, the next few weeks will be closely watched for any formal announcements of new additions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NCPI and how many MPs does it have?
The National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI) is a political bloc comprising 20 Lok Sabha members, most of whom are former Trinamool Congress MPs. The bloc currently supports the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Parliament.
Why did West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari meet NCPI MPs in Delhi?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met all 20 NCPI Lok Sabha members in New Delhi on 4 August to discuss development issues in West Bengal and address internal concerns within the bloc, particularly regarding three minority MPs rumoured to be considering a return to the TMC.
Are the three minority NCPI MPs returning to TMC?
Mathurapur MP Bapi Haldar categorically dismissed those rumours, stating that Khalilur Rahman, Yusuf Pathan, and Abu Taher remain with the NCPI and with the Chief Minister. Adhikari reportedly also met the three MPs separately to address their concerns.
Who are the BJP Rajya Sabha members who attended the meeting?
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik — all former TMC Rajya Sabha members — attended the meeting. They had resigned their seats after the West Bengal Assembly elections, joined the BJP, and were re-elected to the same Rajya Sabha seats.
Could the NCPI bloc grow beyond 20 MPs?
Hooghly MP Rachana Banerjee indicated after the meeting that the bloc's strength could increase beyond its current 20 members, though she declined to name any prospective entrants.
