The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to disqualify 20 of its MPs for revolting against the party and trying to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a registered but unrecognised political party.
TMC general secretary and Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee submitted 20 separate petitions against the 20 rebels, citing the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, which states that a member of a House will not be disqualified if the original political party to which they belonged merges with another party, with at least two-thirds of the members of the legislature party agreeing to the merger.
Banerjee argued that the rule applies to the whole party, not just the legislative party, and that the rebel MPs' claims of merger are invalid.
The move comes after 20 TMC MPs met the Speaker and conveyed their decision to form a separate block, and later claimed to have joined the NCPI.
Banerjee also accused the rebel MPs of being motivated by personal interests, including escaping legal troubles and receiving money or threats.
The Speaker has invited the TMC Lok Sabha leader to present his views on the issue before making a decision.
