Abhishek Banerjee said after meeting Om Birla – ’20 petitions were given to disqualify rebel MPs’

By Samira Vishwas On Jun 19, 2026

New Delhi, June 19. Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday and submitted 20 petitions against 20 rebel MPs of the party and demanded cancellation of their membership.

Demand from Speaker to cancel membership of rebel MPs

After meeting the Lok Sabha Speaker, Abhishek said while talking to the media that these MPs have claimed to join ‘Nationalist Citizens Party of India’ (NCPI). These MPs should be disqualified from membership of the House on the grounds of leaving the party.

Abhishek Banerjee said, ’20 people met the Lok Sabha Speaker and demanded recognition of themselves as a separate group. Later we came to know that these MPs have claimed to join another party named NCPI. No one had heard the name of this party. Even these MPs had not heard its name before.

19 June 2026 | Shree @abhishekaitc addresses the media in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/jv7IX9JQzG
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) June 19, 2026

The TMC MP said it is very clear in the 10th Schedule of the Constitution that if a member voluntarily leaves his party membership, he becomes ineligible as an MP. He said, ‘If a person wins on the election symbol of a party and after two years says that he is joining another party, his membership should be terminated.’

Abhishek said that the rule of two-thirds members for merger with another party applies to the entire party, not just the parliamentary party. He said, ‘On this basis, as the Lok Sabha leader of Trinamool Congress, I have filed 20 separate disqualification petitions against these 20 MPs.’

Lok Sabha Speaker had called Abhishek to present his side.

It is noteworthy that Lok Sabha Speaker Birla had called Banerjee to present her side before taking a decision on the demand of these 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs. These MPs have demanded recognition of themselves as a separate group after the merger with NCPI.

Abhishek Banerjee had also written a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker last week. He had urged that no recognition, status or facility should be given to any group claiming to be a separate faction within the Trinamool Congress. He had said that the Constitution and anti-defection laws do not allow formation of separate groups within an existing political party.