While several Trinamool Congress MPs are openly expressing their willingness to extend support to the NDA, the BJP is closely monitoring the developments and is in no hurry to formalize any merger. With its immediate focus on stabilizing the newly formed government in West Bengal, the party is cautiously observing the internal churn within the opposition ranks.
Sources indicate that a formal merger of the rebel faction is not on the immediate agenda, and any alignment will be a long-drawn legal and political process .
Rebel MPs Seek ‘Joint-Engine’ Government
The crisis within the AITC escalated after the party’s defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, leading to a rebellion by a significant section of its elected representatives. Rebel MP Arup Chakraborty claimed on Friday that approximately 20 MPs are supporting the dissident faction.
Chakraborty stated that the group intends to work with a “joint-engine government” involving both the state and the Centre, asserting that the BJP’s support aligns with their agenda to “rebuild TMC in a new form” .
While they have indicated their support for the ruling NDA, they are simultaneously attempting to project themselves as the “real” Trinamool Congress. The faction has already submitted a list of 19 MPs to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking separate seating arrangements, signaling an organizational split in the parliamentary ranks .
The Legal Hurdle: Why a Merger is Complex
Despite the political maneuvering, legal experts and BJP strategists point to the constitutional reality preventing a simple split or merger.
Under the Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act, 2003, the provision allowing a “split” in a political party (Para 3 of the anti-defection law) was removed. Currently, the only way for lawmakers to avoid disqualification while breaking away is to have a merger with another party.
For a merger to be valid, the dissident faction must prove they constitute two-thirds of the party’s strength in the legislature . In the Lok Sabha, with the AITC holding 28 seats, the rebels need the support of at least 19 MPs to avoid the anti-defection law legally.
Even if they have the numbers, legal experts clarify that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha must accept the merger. A simple change of seating arrangements or a letter of support does not constitute a legal merger under the current framework .
‘No Rush’: BJP’s Calculated Stance
BJP sources have indicated that the party is not willing to blindly accommodate all disgruntched Trinamool leaders. Instead, the rebel MPs may be forced to legally challenge the party leadership, leading to a prolonged battle over the party name and symbol—similar to the disputes involving the Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra .
The rebel MPs currently operate in a grey zone, with their names still listed as AITC members on the Lok Sabha website days after their announcement . While the BJP acknowledges the political benefit of a weakened Trinamool, it is prioritizing the stability of the Suvendu Adhikari government over immediately absorbing the rebels.
In the Rajya Sabha, where the rules differ, the BJP has shown more readiness. The party is reportedly willing to accommodate former Trinamool leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, who has already resigned from the Upper House .
For now, the political crisis in West Bengal remains unresolved, but the anticipated “merger” appears to be caught in a constitutional maze, with the ruling party taking a cautious, wait-and-watch approach.
