New Delhi

Rebel Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Tuesday asserted that the question of which faction represents the "real TMC" would ultimately be settled by the courts. He also maintained that the decision of a two-thirds majority of MPs to leave a political party is constitutionally valid and cannot be termed an act of betrayal.

A group of 20 dissident Trinamool Congress MPs has announced its decision to merge with the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and extend support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. The lawmakers recently met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and sought separate seating arrangements from the official TMC benches in Parliament.

Speaking to reporters, Bandyopadhyay said that since two-thirds of the parliamentary party had chosen a different path, the move was protected under constitutional provisions. He argued that defections become an issue only when they involve fewer than two-thirds of the members. According to him, the legal determination of which group can claim the TMC's identity will rest with the judiciary.

Another rebel MP, Rachna Banerjee, said the breakaway legislators continue to hold former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in high regard, but felt that development work in their constituencies had suffered during the party's years in power.

Returning from an overseas trip, Banerjee visited Parliament to complete formalities related to the merger proposal. While acknowledging that Mamata Banerjee's leadership played a major role in their electoral success, she stressed that elected representatives also have a responsibility to deliver development and public welfare in their constituencies.

She emphasised that there was no personal revolt against Mamata Banerjee and said she would always respect her. However, she claimed that many developmental initiatives faced hurdles during the TMC's tenure and expressed the view that governance becomes more efficient when the same political alliance is in power at both the state and central levels.

Banerjee praised the pace of development under the current BJP government in West Bengal, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, and said the new political alignment could help accelerate work in her constituency.

Later in the day, she met the Lok Sabha Secretary General and also visited BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's residence in New Delhi.

The rebel MPs had formally submitted a letter to Speaker Om Birla on June 14 informing him of their proposed merger with the Tripura-based NCPI. Reacting to the development, TMC MP Kirti Azad rejected the claims of the dissidents, calling their move misleading and asserting that the Trinamool Congress continues to remain firmly under Mamata Banerjee's leadership.

Azad said the party had already informed the Speaker that the original and legitimate TMC remains the one led by Mamata Banerjee. He further alleged that the dissident camp was driven by personal interests and was itself facing internal disagreements.

Meanwhile, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar indicated that the group intends to cooperate closely with the NDA government. After attending a Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting on Home Affairs, she said discussions regarding the merger process were progressing positively and that the breakaway faction looked forward to working alongside the NDA leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Commenting on the political turmoil, BJP MP Rahul Sinha stated that his party would not interfere in what he described as an internal dispute within the Trinamool Congress. He added that individuals found guilty in corruption cases should face legal consequences regardless of their political stature.

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Referring to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, Sinha alleged that multiple investigations were underway and said that if evidence of wrongdoing emerged, appropriate action should follow. His remarks came a day after the Enforcement Directorate questioned Abhishek Banerjee in connection with an ongoing probe.