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Bandyopadhyay had recently quit the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the NCPI along with 19 other parliamentarians.
Lok Sabha MP and NCPI leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay met PM Modi on Saturday.
Ahead of the all-party meeting convened before the Monsoon session of Parliament, Lok Sabha MP and Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Saturday.
The meeting comes amid the process of according parliamentary recognition to the NCPI as a constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). According to sources, the party has been asked to submit a resolution formally extending support to the NDA and the PM Modi-led government. “We have to work together to build up the nation,” Bandyopadhyay said.
Bandyopadhyay Likely To Be Floor Leader In Lok Sabha
Bandyopadhyay, who recently quit the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the NCPI along with 19 other parliamentarians, is likely to serve as the floor leader of the party in the Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar is expected to be appointed the chief whip, while Satabdi Roy is likely to become the deputy leader.
All Party Meeting On Sunday
The NCPI is also expected to be invited to the all-party meeting scheduled for July 19 ahead of the Monsoon session, which begins on July 20. In a latest development, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday accepted the demand of 20 rebel MPs for separate seating in the House.
Earlier on July 13, Bandyopadhyay and Ghosh Dastidar had met Birla and discussed seating arrangements for the NCPI’s 20 MPs in the Lower House, PTI reported, citing sources. The leaders also reportedly raised the issue of allotting office space for the party in the new Parliament building.
The MPs who switched allegiance to the NCPI have informed the Speaker’s Office about the party’s leadership structure, designating Bandyopadhyay as floor leader, Roy as deputy leader and Ghosh Dastidar as chief whip.
‘Cheating’: TMC’s Derek O’Brien Slams Centre
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien criticised the Centre over the status of the rebel MPs, accusing it of undermining democratic norms.
CHEATING. Mocking our democracy. Speaker has referred to 20 traitors as still being TMC MPs. Minutes later, Modi-Shah minister invites traitors for all-party meet & refers to them as NCPI. Fxxx off— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) July 18, 2026
In a post on X, O’Brien wrote, “CHEATING. Mocking our democracy. Speaker has referred to 20 traitors as still being TMC MPs. Minutes later, Modi-Shah minister invites traitors for all-party meet & refers to them as NCPI.”
TMC Crisis
The developments come at a politically sensitive time, with the TMC having filed petitions seeking the disqualification of the 20 MPs who rebelled against the party leadership and joined the NCPI.
Bandyopadhyay had also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently as the party moves to secure formal parliamentary recognition within the NDA fold.
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) has become the second-largest party in the NDA after 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs merged with it. This merger significantly boosts the NDA’s strength in Parliament.
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Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish…Read More
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