Monsoon Session: TMC Leader Abhishek Banerjee Allocated Seat Behind Former Allies

New Delhi, July 20: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has undergone significant changes since its rise in the Lok Sabha between 2009 and 2014. Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, the party sought to establish a distinct identity in Parliament, even demanding a separate office during this period.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 19 seats, which increased to 34 in 2014. This growth allowed the party to strengthen its position in Parliament, while left-wing parties, particularly the CPI(M), saw a continuous decline in their parliamentary strength.

At that time, the CPI(M)’s parliamentary office was located on the top floor of the old Parliament building (now known as the Constitution House). Eventually, the TMC also secured its own office in Parliament.

However, on the first day of the Monsoon Session, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee was allocated a seat behind his former ally, Sudip Bandopadhyay, according to the rules of the House. Bandopadhyay is now a leader of the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI), which has 20 members in the Lok Sabha, while the TMC currently holds only 8 seats.

Following a major split in the TMC, 20 MPs merged into the NCPI. The Lok Sabha Speaker recognized this new group as a separate parliamentary party based on the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution and parliamentary traditions, allowing them to sit separately.

This shift has further strengthened the position of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha. The TMC had won 29 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but internal disagreements have surfaced following setbacks in this year’s assembly elections. Additionally, a seat became vacant due to the death of an MP.

Sudip Bandopadhyay and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, among others, formed a separate parliamentary group. These leaders opted to merge with the NCPI, recognized by the Election Commission, rather than claiming affiliation under the TMC name, despite the NCPI never having contested a Lok Sabha election before.

Post-merger, the NCPI has suddenly become one of the major parliamentary groups and a significant ally of the BJP-led NDA.

According to the anti-defection law under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, if an MP voluntarily leaves their party, they may lose their membership. However, if at least two-thirds of a parliamentary party’s members agree to merge with another party, they are not disqualified.

More than two-thirds of TMC MPs decided to merge with the NCPI, thus they cannot be immediately disqualified under the anti-defection law. However, Abhishek Banerjee and the TMC leadership have filed a petition with the Lok Sabha Speaker to declare these MPs disqualified. The authority to recognize parliamentary parties and arrange seating in the House lies with the Lok Sabha Speaker.

The opposition is questioning the political and moral validity of these developments, but the steps taken so far are considered to be in accordance with parliamentary procedures and constitutional provisions.

With the new numbers in the Lok Sabha, the NDA’s position has been further solidified, while the TMC’s influence has significantly diminished compared to before.