NCPI Integrates Former TMC Lawmakers into National Leadership

Seven former Trinamool Congress MPs have secured high-ranking positions within the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, signaling a strategic consolidation of the party's ranks. National President Jyotiprokash Chatterjee released the list of 27 office-bearers on Tuesday, formally integrating the defectors into the party’s central organizational structure.

Editorial·September 23, 2026·reads: 475

NCPI Integrates Former TMC Lawmakers into National Leadership

Abu Taher Khan, Deepak Adhikari Dev, Yusuf Pathan, Jagdish Chandra Barma Basunia, Rachana Banerjee, and Mitali Bag join the party as Vice Presidents, while Bapi Halder steps into the role of General Secretary. The reshuffle excludes prominent rebel figures Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, leaving the status of the broader parliamentary group in flux. This structural expansion follows the departure of 20 TMC Lok Sabha members who defected to the NCPI four months ago, pledging allegiance to the BJP-led NDA.

The legitimacy of these appointments coincides with ongoing legal challenges regarding the status of the former TMC lawmakers. Disqualification petitions filed under the anti-defection law remain active, with the matter currently before the Supreme Court. While the defectors argue their transition constitutes a valid merger, the rebels have requested an additional four-week extension to address notices issued by Speaker Om Birla. The NCPI continues to position itself as an independent force within the NDA, framing these appointments as a necessary step in its formal organizational growth.