Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 15 (ANI): Following the merger of 20 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs into the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), rebel MP Mala Roy on Monday said that all the legislators who joined the new party would work together under the leadership of senior parliamentarians.
Speaking to ANI, Roy, who was among the MPs who merged with NCPI on Sunday, said that senior leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay would provide further details regarding the development.
"All of us merged with it yesterday. Sudip Bandyopadhyay, the seniormost MP, will speak more.All of us will work together," Roy told ANI.
This comes amidst the ongoing rebellion within the Trinamool Congress, where 20 Lok Sabha MPs, including senior parliamentarians such as Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Khalilur Rahman and others, merged with the Tripura-based NCPI.
Earlier in the day, TMC Saugata Roy on Monday slammed the 20 rebel TMC MPs who have announced their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), alleging that the move has been undertaken to avoid the anti-defection law.
The Anti-Defection Law, introduced by the 52nd Amendment in 1985 under the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution aims to stop political defections. It applies to both Parliament and State Assemblies.
Talking to ANI, Roy highlighted the obscurity of the NCPI, noting its lack of formal recognition and minimal electoral footprint.
"It is sad. TMC MPs have joined an unknown party. They have lost their honour; what can I say? NCPI is not even a recognised party. It is registered in Bengal but gave a candidate in Tripura. What difference does merging with it make? They merged like this to avoid the anti-defection law," he said.
On Sunday, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Sunday confirmed that 20 Lok Sabha MPs have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and will extend support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). (ANI)
