Won't object against NCPI joining hands with NDA, says BJP's Soumitra Khan
East Bardhaman, June 15
Amid the ongoing political churn within the Trinamool Congress and a major split involving MPs joining the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and extending support to the National Democratic Alliance, BJP MP Soumitra Khan on Monday said the party will abide by whatever decision is taken by the central leadership.
"Whatever the central leadership - PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Nitin Nabin - says, we will follow that. If NCPI wants to join hands with NDA, we would not say no. What the parliamentary board decides, we will abide by that," Khan told reporters.
His remarks come at a time when a significant political realignment is unfolding in West Bengal, with rebel leaders from the AITC breaking ranks and forming a new party.
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).
She said the group met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a letter seeking separate seating arrangements in Parliament, claiming they constitute more than two-thirds of the party's strength.
"We, the twenty MPs elected from the AITC, met the Speaker and submitted a letter requesting to sit separately; these twenty MPs constitute more than two-thirds of our total strength. We are merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party. Moving forward, we will work for the nation and collaborate with the NDA under the leadership of the Prime Minister," Dastidar said.
The developments come amid a widening political crisis in the TMC, where 58 MLAs under the leadership of expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee in West Bengal have rebelled against the party.
In addition, three Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Baraik, have also resigned from their upper house and party membership.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While political alliances are fine, I hope the BJP leadership doesn't compromise its core ideology just to accommodate rebels from other parties. The NDA should remain a united front based on principles, not just a collection of disgruntled politicians.
This is a huge development! 20 MPs leaving TMC is a big blow to Mamata Banerjee. The political landscape in Bengal is changing, and the NDA is clearly the biggest beneficiary. Let's see how this affects the upcoming elections.
It's interesting to see how the TMC's internal conflicts are playing out. However, I feel that such defections often happen for personal gains rather than ideological reasons. The common man just wants stable governance, not constant party-hopping. 🙄
This is a masterstroke by the BJP. By not opposing the NCPI's merger, they are creating a larger anti-TMC coalition. Mamata's house is clearly divided, and the NDA is capitalizing on it. Bengal politics is getting more interesting by the day!
While these political realignments are fascinating, I can't help but think about the voters who elected these MPs based on TMC's manifesto. Now these MPs have changed parties mid-term. Isn't this a betrayal of voter trust? 🤔
J We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.