TMC split news highlights: 'MPs alone cannot merge with another party', Abhishek says after meeting with Speaker

TMC split news LIVE: TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee leaves for Kolkata from Delhi airport.

TMC split news LIVE: In his remarks on Friday, the TMC MP sought the disqualification of the rebel MPs from the Lok Sabha citing their will to break away, electing a Lok Sabha leader, chief whip and asking for a separate sitting arrangement.

"So if (they) have been elected on a symbol and (are) claiming after two years that they are joining a new party, their membership should go," he said.

He pressed that the rule on two-thirds of the members merging with another party applies to the whole party, and not just the legislative party. TMC MPs Saugata Roy, Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra also accompanied Abhishek in meeting the Lok Sabha Speaker at the Parliament House.

TMC split news LIVE: Banerjee countered the rebel MPs' claims on two grounds as he cited the 10th schedule:

“One should be disqualified from Lok Sabha once they decide to join another party.”

“Merger only valid if two-thirds of the entire party merges into another, and not just members of the legislative party.”

What is the 10th schedule?

The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution defines the anti-defection law, which was enacted to curb the practice of legislators frequently jumping ships to topple governments or for personal gain.

There are two key factors defined under the law, also stated in an earlier HT report.

A legislator can be disqualified if they voluntarily leave their political party or vote against the party’s official direction in the legislature.

Paragraph 4 however has an exception: Disqualification will not apply if the original political party merges with another party, and at least two-thirds of the members of that party's legislature group agree to such a merger.

TMC split news LIVE: Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, along with some party MPs, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday to express reservations with the merger announced by 20 rebel MPs.

After the meeting, Banerjee spoke at length and explained why he deems the merger “invalid”. A recurring mention in his argument was the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. “The 10th Schedule is against them, against these people who claim to have formed a separate group,” Banerjee told reporters as he held up a copy of the 20 different disqualification petitions he submitted before the Lok Sabha Speaker. Read More

TMC split news LIVE: After meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said, “I can only present my side before him, and I have done that. I submitted the disqualification petitions that I showed you. Around 20 such petitions have been submitted. All our prayers are included in these petitions, and all relevant judgments have been cited. Each petition is 21 pages long. We have also attached all the media reports that came to our notice and submitted them along with the petitions.”

"We expect the Speaker to act in accordance with the Constitution. The Lok Sabha Speaker is the custodian of the House, not the protector of the government of the day. Every citizen, especially elected representatives, must work within the ambit of the law. Therefore, one has to function according to the provisions laid down in the Constitution," news agency PTI reported.

TMC split news LIVE: Facing a revolt in his parliamentary team, Trinamool Congress leader in Lok Sabha Abhishek Banerjee on Friday met with Speaker Om Birla and submitted 20 petitions against its 20 rebel MPs, seeking their disqualification.

Banerjee, along with party MPs Saugata Roy, Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, met the speaker in the Parliament House here.

The meeting comes days after the 20 rebel MPs met the speaker.

Talking to the media after meeting, Banerjee said the rebel MPs, who have claimed to join the lesser-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), should be disqualified from the membership of the House on the ground of leaving the party.

Via PTI

TMC split news LIVE: After meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said he had submitted around 20 disqualification petitions of 21 pages long against 20 rebel MPs and placed his side before the Speaker in the matter.

“I can only present my side before him, and I have done that. I submitted the disqualification petitions that I showed you. Around 20 such petitions have been submitted. All our prayers are included in these petitions, and all relevant judgments have been cited. Each petition is 21 pages long."

“We have also attached all the media reports that came to our notice and submitted them along with the petitions. We expect the Speaker to act in accordance with the Constitution. The Lok Sabha Speaker is the custodian of the House, not the protector of the government of the day. Every citizen, especially elected representatives, must work within the ambit of the law. Therefore, one has to function according to the provisions laid down in the Constitution..”

TMC split news LIVE: Following his meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said the political developments over the last one-and-a-half months, including what he described as attempts to “break” the party not just in Bengal but also in Maharashtra, reflect a larger pattern. He alleged that there was an effort to “change the Constitution at any cost” and questioned the trust in democratic processes.

“The politics of the last one-and-a-half month, the way the party is being broken apart, not just in Bengal, but also in Maharashtra, shows that clearly. They want to change the Constitution at any cost," news agency PTI reported.

“They do not trust the people at all. They know that if people vote in a truly democratic manner, the BJP can never win. That is why they have used the Election Commission, the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, and every other agency to manipulate the people's mandate,” he said.

He also claimed that he had been repeatedly summoned by investigative agencies in recent days. “In the last four to seven days, I have received five summons from the CID. I appeared before them three times. I also appeared before the ED. My house was raided twice. Mamata Banerjee's house was also raided…”

TMC split news LIVE: After meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said the party had placed its arguments before him and requested that the issue be examined urgently, with both sides being heard.

“..We have presented our case before the Speaker and requested him to take action on the matter as soon as possible and hear both sides.”

He added that according to the Constitution, the rebel MPs are wrong.

“If you go by the Constitution or the judgments of the Supreme Court, it clearly goes against them. This is clearly mentioned in the Constitution. So either the Constitution is wrong, or they are wrong. One of the two has to be wrong... Whether we go to court or explore any legal remedies is a hypothetical question at this stage, but we have left the matter to the judgment and wisdom of the Speaker. He has said that he will hear the other side as well and then call us again for another meeting. We hope that, having been shown all the relevant constitutional provisions, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha will act in accordance with the Constitution and not undermine it. That is all I can hope for.”

TMC split news LIVE: After meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said, “If any MP finds my statement offensive, they should file a case against me. I will prove my point in a court of law. By threatening people, intimidating them, and luring them with crores of rupees, they are betraying the expectations with which the public elected them. In politics, victory and defeat are part of the game. But (if someone says) 'I am not ready to fight, I will not step out of my house, I will not fight against the BJP, so I will join hands with the BJP and sell my conscience,' then those (referring to rebel leaders) who believe in this kind of politics have no place in Bengal.”

TMC split news LIVE: MC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee leave after meeting Lok Sabha Speaker. Party MPs also leave with him.

TMC split news LIVE: On Abhishek Banerjee’s meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Delhi today, CPI National General Secretary D. Raja said, 'It is known to the whole country that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is in a deep crisis. It is not just a political crisis; it is an organisational crisis. The reports are clearly showing there is a split in the party, and which group will be recognised or not recognised. These are all certain questions which need to be decided based on parliamentary conventions as well as on the basis of the anti-defection law. So we will have to wait and see. But after the elections, after the defeat, parties like the TMC are facing a very deep crisis…”

TMC split news LIVE: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Kunal Ghosh on Friday lashed out at rebel party MPs, demanding that those planning to shift allegiance to the NDA should resign as MPs from Parliament first amid the internal crisis in the party deepened over a factional split and merger move.

Speaking to ANI, Ghosh said, "We have nothing to say about the party's funds because this fund department has nothing to do with us. Those people who won in 2024 were anti-BJP voters. But after the MLA election, they have no connection with it."

He further alleged that the rebel MPs attempting to align with the NDA should resign from the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha first.

"After the election, they are saying that we will go to the NDA and become friends of the BJP. Those people should resign from the Rajya Sabha, and then they should resign in the Lok Sabha," Ghosh said.

via ANI

TMC split news LIVE: TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, along with party MPs Derek O'Brien, Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghose, Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee, reach Parliament.

TMC split news LIVE: TMC MP Saugata Roy said, "We will convey our position to the Speaker."

When asked about the point of contention, Roy said, "No group of people that has separated from the main party (TMC) should be recognised."

TMC split news LIVE: Accompanying TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, party MPs arrive at the Parliament to meet Lok Sabha Speaker.

When asked about Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's complaint against him, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says, "We are not here for that."

Party MP Mahua Moitra said, "Kalyan da is not facing such bad days that he needs to now speak against Kakoli di."

(Via ANI)

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was seen reaching the residence of TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Abhishek Banerjee is reportedly set to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla sortly to keep the Mamata Banerjee faction's side in the matter relating to the proposal of merger with NCPI by the group of 20 TMC rebel MPs.

Lok Sabha Speaker is likely to take a call on the merger proposal after the meeting with Abhishek Banerjee.

TMC news LIVE: TMC leader Mahua Moitra was seen arriving at party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's residence in Delhi ahead of his meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Abhishek Banerjee is reportedly meeting Om Birla to keep the Mamata faction's side in the matter relating to the proposal of merger with NCPI by the group of 20 TMC rebel MPs. Lok Sabha Speaker is likely to take a call on the merger proposal after the meeting with Abhishek Banerjee.

TMC rebellion LIVE: TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee arrives at his residence in Delhi ahead of meeting. Party MPs Derek O'Brien and Saugata Roy are also with him.

Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Delhi at 5 pm over 20 rebel TMC MPs declaring their merger with Tripura-based NDA outfit, Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

TMC crisis LIVE: On TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker, TMC leader Saugata Roy said, “Abhishek Banerjee submitted a letter to the Speaker requesting that the AITC be given an opportunity to present its case before any decision is taken on the matter. A group claiming to represent the TMC is trying to conceal the facts.”

"Accordingly, the Speaker has scheduled a meeting at 5 PM in his office, which Abhishek Banerjee will attend. I will also accompany him to the meeting... Our expectation is that the Speaker will recognise the original and legitimate TMC and not accord recognition to any breakaway group," he said, speaking to PTI news agency.

Rebellion news LIVE: Supreme Court on Froday heard a writ petition seeking directions to prevent party leaders from switching over to other political parties

Adv CR Jaya Sukin, appearing for the petitioner, said that in this country, party leaders are either indulging in corruption by giving bribes, or threatening that family members will be hurt if they don't join the party, according to Bar and Bench.

CJI Surya Kant replied to the advocate and asked which ruling party he was referring to. In your state, parties keep changing

Sukin said, “One state in East India and one in Middle India, party leaders are joining other parties.. speaker must be investigate the resignation leaders. Speakers call media..they take it and accept the letter and within minutes they join another party. This is destroying democracy.”

“You asked for one minute we gave you seven minutes. Dismissed. Plea is based on vague, wild and casual allegations without any reliable material on record. We see no ground to interfere,” Bar and Bench quoted the CJI as saying in response.

TMC crisis LIVE: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has arrived in Delhi for his meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker. Party MP Derek O'Brien is also with him.

Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Delhi today over 20 rebel TMC MPs declaring their merger with Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The merger move is pending approval of Lok Sabha Speaker.

TMC crisis LIVE: Eggs were thrown at TMC leader Bhola Singh as he appeared in a court in West Bengal's Asansol.

Rebellion crisis LIVE: Aaditya Thackeray on Friday called rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs shameless, ungrateful, and corrupt individuals who betrayed those that helped them win in 2024.

You have shamelessly sold yourselves, staking your reputation and family names: Aaditya Thackeray said.

(Via PTI)

TMC crisis LIVE: Former West Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick on Friday announced that he has resigned from all posts in the TMC, citing poor health.

Mallick, a longtime associate of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, said he had already communicated his decision to the party leadership.

"I have resigned from all the posts in the TMC because of my extremely poor health condition," he said, according to a PTI news agency report.

He is the latest to step down from party posts or to resign as an MP after Kakoli Ghosh, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and few others.

The development comes just days after the TMC carried out a major organisational reshuffle and inducted Mallick into its reconstituted working committee.