The political crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) intensified on Sunday after 20 rebel Members of Parliament decided to merge their faction with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and announced support for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The rebel MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a letter informing him about their decision to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. They also formally extended support to the NDA. According to sources, the group chose to join the regional party because of the legal hurdles involved in creating a separate parliamentary bloc.

The development came just hours after the rebel faction gathered at the Speaker’s residence in New Delhi. The meeting followed discussions with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav. Earlier, there was speculation that the dissident MPs might seek recognition as the “real TMC” in Parliament. However, the group instead opted to merge with another recognised political party.

Speaking about the decision, rebel TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, “We have joined the Nationalist Citizens Party. It is a recognised regional party. We have merged with it. It will be decided in court which is the real TMC.”

Soon after the rebels made their move, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. In his letter, he urged the Speaker to continue treating the Trinamool Congress as a single political party and not grant recognition or parliamentary facilities to any separate faction.

The rebel camp also received a major boost after senior leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay openly supported the dissident group. Bandyopadhyay has long been regarded as one of the closest associates of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. His decision came after meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday.

According to a PTI report, Bandyopadhyay is also expected to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in the coming days. His support is being seen as a significant development in the ongoing political battle within the party.

Explaining his decision to join the rebels, Bandyopadhyay said he was persuaded by appeals from party MPs and MLAs. He stated, “Most of the MPs and MLAs wanted this to be a successful initiative. They wanted the party to continue under the guidance of Mamata Banerjee, with her playing a role similar to that of a chief advisor and party leader. Their appeal genuinely touched me.”

Following Bandyopadhyay’s defection, the Trinamool Congress carried out a major organisational reshuffle. The party removed several rebel leaders from key positions. Sayoni Ghosh, Mala Roy and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were stripped of their organisational responsibilities.

As part of the restructuring, Arnab Banerjee was appointed president of the Trinamool Youth Congress, replacing Sayoni Ghosh. Kaliganj MLA Alifa Ahmed was named head of the party’s women’s wing in place of Mala Roy.

The party also made changes in its district leadership. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh was appointed president of the party’s North Kolkata organisational district, replacing Sudip Bandyopadhyay. In another important decision, MP Saugata Roy was appointed chief adviser to the party’s Lok Sabha wing, which now consists of MPs who continue to remain loyal to Mamata Banerjee.

The latest developments are part of a wider internal crisis that has affected the Trinamool Congress since its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. The party lost power in the state after ruling for 15 years and managed to win only 80 of the 294 Assembly seats.

 Weeks after the election results, signs of rebellion became visible. Expelled TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha submitted a letter claiming the support of 60 legislators while continuing to recognise Mamata Banerjee as the party’s leader.

The letter, which carried the signatures of 58 MLAs, also proposed Ritabrata Banerjee’s name for the position of Leader of the Opposition. Political observers viewed the move as an attempt to isolate Abhishek Banerjee within the party.

Ritabrata Banerjee has repeatedly criticised Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership style. He has accused him of managing the party like a corporate organisation rather than a political movement. These differences further widened the divide within the TMC.

The split became more visible when a group of TMC Lok Sabha MPs, led by Chief Whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker declaring support for the BJP-led NDA. The move triggered a division within the party’s parliamentary unit and intensified the ongoing power struggle.

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar later said that the decision to break away from the party leadership was taken after consultations with fellow MPs. The latest merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India marks a significant escalation in the crisis and raises fresh questions about the future of the Trinamool Congress and its leadership.