Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
The Monsoon Session of Parliament ended without any clarity on the political fate of 20 TMC rebels who have parted ways with the party and joined the NCPI, leaving the group caught in a peculiar constitutional and political limbo.
The 20 MPs continue to be treated as TMC members inside the Lok Sabha, retaining their seats on the treasury-side benches with only minor alterations in their seating arrangements. At the same time, the government has maintained a cautious distance from the rebels, despite their public alignment with the NCPI.
The session also ended without a decision on their disqualification, adding to uncertainty over their status.
TMC’s Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee today met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and sought a clear ruling on the matter. Banerjee is understood to have urged the Speaker to either formally recognise the 20 MPs as members of the NCPI or initiate proceedings for their disqualification as TMC members.
The rebels, meanwhile, largely remained on the sidelines during the session, neither consistently supporting nor opposing government legislation. Their continued presence on TMC benches, despite their political realignment, has added another layer to the dispute.
The situation became more complicated when three of the rebel MPs supported the Opposition during voting on the FCRA Bills, further exposing the uncertainty over the group’s political position.
With the Monsoon Session now over, the fate of the 20 MPs remains unresolved, setting the stage for another confrontation over their status when Parliament reconvenes.