10 of 20 rebel TMC MPs skip Kolkata meeting amid disqualification proceedings

Half of the 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs who have aligned themselves with the NCPI stayed away from a meeting in Kolkata on Thursday, even as the group decided to seek another two weeks to respond to disqualification notices issued by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla under the anti-defection law.

The meeting, convened by senior parliamentarian Sudip Bandyopadhyay at a city hotel, came on the day the two-week deadline for submitting replies to the notices expired. The MPs discussed their legal and political options amid the continuing dispute over their parliamentary status.

Ten MPs absent

Those who skipped the gathering included Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sayani Ghosh, Yusuf Pathan, Mala Roy, June Maliah, Partha Bhowmick, Mitali Bag, Kalipada Soren, Dev and Asit Mal.

Apart from Bandyopadhyay, the MPs present included Abu Taher, Khalilur Rahman, Sharmila Sarkar, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Bapi Halder, Rachana Banerjee and Arup Chakrabarty.

The attending MPs sought to dismiss speculation that the absences reflected differences within the rebel group. Chakrabarty said some parliamentarians were travelling abroad, while others had family commitments or previously scheduled meetings. He added that those unable to attend had been contacted over the telephone.

Sarkar maintained that there was no misunderstanding among the MPs, while Roy said the group had been aware of the absences in advance. Banerjee described the gathering as a pre-Durga Puja reunion, pointing out that MPs rarely found opportunities to meet outside Parliament because of their constituency responsibilities.

Another extension sought

The rebel MPs have decided to request another two weeks to submit their responses to the Speaker's notices, Ghosh Dastidar told PTI earlier. This would be their fourth request for an extension in the proceedings.

The MPs had initially sought four weeks to respond in September, but the Speaker's office granted them two weeks. The latest deadline expired on Thursday.

The notices seek explanations from the parliamentarians over their decision to break away from the TMC and align themselves with the NCPI, and why they should not face disqualification under the anti-defection provisions.

Separate disqualification petitions have been filed against each of the 20 MPs. The TMC faction led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also approached the Supreme Court over the matter. Following the court proceedings, the Speaker's office issued notices seeking responses from the rebel parliamentarians.

Senior TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee has claimed that the rebel MPs would face disqualification within a year, necessitating by-elections in their constituencies. However, no final decision on their disqualification has been announced.

The latest extension request will now require consideration by the Speaker's office. If granted, the MPs will receive additional time to present their explanations in a dispute that has developed into a wider contest over the TMC's parliamentary representation and political identity.