Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is reviewing the status of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs who have sought to merge their faction with another political party, and is expected to take a decision only after hearing both sides in the dispute, sources said on Tuesday. The development comes amid an intensifying political battle within the TMC following a split in its Lok Sabha contingent.

According to sources, the Speaker’s office has reached out to the faction aligned with West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, inviting its representatives for a formal meeting. The consultation is seen as part of the process of examining the request submitted by the dissident lawmakers. Sources indicated that any decision on the merger plea is likely to be taken only after the official party leadership is given an opportunity to present its position.

The controversy began after 20 rebel TMC MPs met Birla and submitted a letter seeking the merger of their group with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The move triggered strong opposition from the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, which has questioned both the legitimacy of the rebellion and the political standing of the party with which the dissident lawmakers seek to merge.

Also Read: Trinamool Dissidents Approach Speaker For Recognition, Cite Support Of 19 MPs

Reacting to the development, TMC MP Kirti Azad accused the rebel MPs of attempting to mislead the Speaker and undermine the party’s organisational structure. He asserted that the “real TMC” continues to be led by Mamata Banerjee and said the party had already communicated its position to the Speaker through an official letter. According to Azad, ownership of the party’s political identity rests with Banerjee and cannot be claimed by a breakaway faction.

Azad also launched a sharp attack on the dissident lawmakers, alleging that personal ambitions were driving the rebellion. He claimed there was internal competition among the rebel MPs over prospective ministerial positions and questioned the credibility of the NCPI. Describing it as an unrecognised and unregistered political outfit with no representation in Parliament, Azad argued that the proposed merger lacked democratic legitimacy and political substance.

The Speaker’s decision is likely to have significant implications for the future of the rebel MPs and the balance of power within the TMC. Under parliamentary procedures, requests involving party mergers and recognition of legislative groups require careful examination of legal and constitutional provisions. As both factions prepare to present their arguments, attention will remain focused on the Speaker’s office, which is expected to determine the matter after completing consultations with all concerned parties.

Also Read: Kakoli Dastidar Writes To Lok Sabha Speaker Alleging Misconduct By Kalyan Banerjee