A political rift has reportedly emerged within the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a relatively little-known political outfit in Tripura that recently absorbed 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs. The disagreement centres on the party's alliance with the BJP, with three NCPI Lok Sabha MPs — Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahman and Yusuf Pathan — reportedly expressing reservations about the bloc's close association with the ruling party at the Centre. According to sources cited in the report, the three MPs have been uncomfortable with NCPI's ties with the BJP and have been skipping meetings of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Their reported reluctance to participate in the alliance's activities comes only weeks after two separate rebellions within the Trinamool Congress led to the defection of a large number of its parliamentarians and MLAs. The developments have added another layer of uncertainty to the political realignment involving the former Trinamool lawmakers. The three MPs are reportedly concerned that a closer association with the BJP could affect their traditional voter base. Their reservations are particularly significant because Khan and Rahman represent constituencies in West Bengal's Murshidabad region, where political loyalties and community concerns can have a major bearing on electoral outcomes.

Yusuf Pathan, a former India cricketer who entered electoral politics through the Trinamool Congress, is also part of the group of MPs reportedly opposed to the alliance's current direction. The faction aligned with former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, has rejected the criticism and accused the three MPs of attempting to mislead voters in their constituencies. The competing positions indicate that the dispute is not merely about participation in NDA meetings but could reflect broader disagreements over the political strategy and ideological positioning of the newly reorganised bloc. The reported differences became more visible on Saturday when Abu Taher Khan and Khalilur Rahman met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

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During the meeting, the two MPs allegedly raised concerns about the treatment of people in Murshidabad during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Their meeting with the BJP-led state government has added an unusual dimension to the dispute, given their reported reservations about NCPI's proximity to the BJP. The Special Intensive Revision is an electoral-roll verification exercise, making allegations of harassment during the process politically sensitive. Concerns over voter-list revision have become an important issue in West Bengal, particularly in constituencies where questions about documentation, eligibility and the inclusion or exclusion of voters can have significant political implications.

The allegations raised by Khan and Rahman are expected to attract attention as political parties continue to debate the implementation of the exercise. The reported internal disagreement comes at a time of considerable political movement involving former Trinamool Congress lawmakers. The absorption of rebel MPs into NCPI has altered the political landscape and created new alignments involving the BJP and other parties. The latest dispute suggests that bringing together lawmakers with different political backgrounds and electoral interests could pose challenges for the new formation as it attempts to maintain cohesion. For NCPI, the immediate challenge will be to manage the differences without allowing the dispute to widen.

The three MPs' reported absence from NDA meetings could become more politically significant if it continues or is followed by an open break with the alliance. At the same time, their concerns over voter support indicate that constituency-level political calculations may be influencing their position. The developments involving Khan, Rahman and Pathan remain based on claims and accounts attributed to sources, and it is not clear whether the three MPs intend to formally challenge NCPI's alliance with the BJP. Their recent actions, however, indicate growing unease within the party over its political direction. Any further statements or decisions by the MPs could determine whether the disagreement remains an internal dispute or develops into another significant political realignment.

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