FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR Rebel TMC MPs meet Speaker, seek separate status, to merge with NCPI SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 14 June T he crisis within the All India Trinamul Congress escalated dramatically on Sunday after a group of about 20 dissident Lok Sabha MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi, formally sought separate seating arrangements in Parliament and announced their decision to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party, marking the most serious challenge yet to the authority of TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee. The development represents a historic rupture within the TMC with the rebel faction claiming the support of more than two-thirds of the party’s Lok Sabha strength and positioning itself for a new political alignment with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. After meeting the Speaker at his residence, rebel MP Kakoli Rebel Trinamul Congress (TMC) MPs meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi on Sunday. AGENCIES Ghosh Dastidar said the dissident lawmakers had submitted a formal representation seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary group. “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,” Ms Dastidar told reporters. The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) is a recognised regional and registered unrecognised political party (RUPP), primarily active in the North-east region. The rebels’ claim of merger with the NCPI is significant because the anti-defection provisions under the Tenth Schedule permit protection from disqualification if at least two-thirds of the members of a legislative party agree to 14 Indian crew rescued after vessel incident off Oman coast ARTI BALI New Delhi, 14 June All 14 Indian crew members aboard an Indian-flagged mechanised sailing vessel were safely rescued after the vessel suffered an engine failure off the coast of Oman, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said on Sunday. The embassy said the incident involved the vessel MSV Virat 1, which was reportedly carrying 14 Indian crew members. “The Mission has learnt of an incident involving an Indian Flagged Mechanised Sailing Vessel Virat 1, off the coast of Oman, reportedly embarked with 14 Indian crew. Search and Rescue is being coordinated with the Omani authorities and vessels in vicinity of the incident,” the embassy said in a post on X. Earlier, the embassy reported that a joint rescue operationcoordinated with Omani authorities and nearby ships successfully saved 11 crew members. “It has emerged that the vessel experienced an engine failure, and the crew eventually transferred safely to a liferaft. Rescue operation is presently underway through ships in vicinity, under coordination of Omani authorities,” the Indian Embassy said on X. It had stated during the ongoing operation at sea, 11 out of the 14 crew members of MSC Virat 1 were brought aboard the vessel MV Jabal Ali 9, and efforts to rescue the remaining crew were expected to conclude soon. Hours later, the mission confirmed that all crew members had been rescued safely. “Rescue operation involving Indian Flagged MSV Virat 1 has been successfully completed. All 14 crew members have been rescued and are presently onboard Jabal Ali 9 heading to Mumbai. The crew members are safe and in good health," the embassy said. merge with another political party. By asserting that 20 of the TMC’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs are part of the move, the dissident camp is seeking to establish that it satisfies the constitutional threshold required for a valid merger. The rebellion reached its climax after days of mounting tensions within the party and a series of high-profile political meetings in New Delhi. The dissident lawmakers held a closed-door strategy session at the residence of Union Minister and BJP leader Bhupender Yadav on Motilal Nehru Marg in the national capital. The dramatic turn of events follows Saturday's meeting between senior TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, dissident MP Satabdi Roy and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi. The meeting intensified speculation that the rebellion was evolving into a broader political realignment with the ruling NDA. Mr Bandyopadhyay's involvement was viewed as particularly consequential given his stature within the party and his long association with Mamata Banerjee. Political observers interpreted his appearance alongside dissident leaders and a senior BJP minister as evidence that the revolt had secured backing from influential sections of the TMC establishment. Earlier, Ms Ghosh Dastidar, Lok Sabha MP from Barasat, claimed before leaving Kolkata for New Delhi this morning that the dissidents’ strength has risen to 22, out of a total of 28 TMC Lok Sabha MPs. She said the group had now been joined by two more parliamentarians whose names would be disclosed once they formally joined the faction. Sources close to the rebel camp have also indicated that discussions were held with senior BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, regarding the future course of action. | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Monday, 15 June 2026 PM, Macron launch ‘Bharat Innovates’ in Nice to boost India-France tech ties STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Nice (France)/New Delhi, 14 June Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday jointly inaugurated the flagship “Bharat Innovates 2026” event in Nice, France, positioning the initiative as a major platform to connect Indian innovation, entrepreneurship and technological talent with European capital, research institutions and global industry leaders. Addressing entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, researchers and innovators gathered at the event, Mr Modi said the India-France relationship was driven not only by shared interests but also by a shared vision for the future, underlining the growing strategic partnership between the two countries in areas ranging from sustainability and security to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. “Different countries engage in trade and build strategic partnerships, but some relationships are driven by both shared interests and shared vision. The relationship between India and France is one such partnership,” Mr Modi said. “There is connection and conviction in this relationship. There is innovation and inspiration. There are shared values and a shared vision.” The event comes during the India-France Year of Innovation, launched earlier this year, and aims to strengthen collaboration between startups, investors, universities, research institutions and technology leaders from both countries. Welcoming Mr Macron’s participation, Mr Modi recalled the French President’s earlier call for India and France to work together in addressing the challenges of the 21st century. “Today, I can proudly say that this initiative is a step in that direction,” the Prime Minister said, describing Bharat Innovates as a bridge between “India’s talent and European capital” and a platform through which young Indian innovators can connect with European expertise and investment. Highlighting India’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem, Mr Modi said the country was undergoing a profound transformation driven by innovation and youth-led entrepreneurship. Indian national dies aboard vessel off Oman, repatriation under way STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 14 June The Embassy of India in Oman has confirmed the death of an Indian national, Nishanth Uirthanathan, due to medical complications while aboard the vessel MT Celestial, currently located at Duqm Port. In an official statement, the embassy said: “An Indian national, Nishanth Uirthanathan, passed away due to medical complications. His mortal remains are currently onboard MT Celestial at Duqm Port.” The Embassy added that it has been “in continuous contact with the ship management company and is coordinating closely with all concerned stakeholders” to ensure that the necessary formalities are completed. Academic Uproar Indian economist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk addresses a gathering during a protest organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination-related lapses at Dharna Chowk, Indira Park, in Hyderabad on Sunday. AGENCIES Final draft of Iran-US MOU includes reopening Strait of Hormuz, oil sanctions waiver, maintaining nuclear status quo Not just TMC, speculation grows over possible Cong return of Jagan & Sharad Pawar UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi, 14 June Tehran, 14 June A final draft of Iran’s memorandum of understanding reached with the US covers diverse issues ranging from Tehran’s nuclear programme to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and US waivers on oil sanctions, along with war reparations in tranches, according to a senior Iranian official. A final deal between the two sides post agreement will be discussed in 60 days. According to the Iranian official, the final draft of the MOU includes: Iran immediately lifting its military blockade from the Strait of Hormuz and reopening it for all commercial vessels, while the US will similarly lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports. The US will agree not to impose any new sanctions on Iran until a final deal is reached, and will waive its oil sanctions on Tehran for a specified period, allowing Tehran to once again sell oil and generate income. Washington will agree to release $25 billion of Iran’s frozen assets in tranches, including via direct cash transfers, cooperation among regional countries, and financial credit lines, while Tehran will agree to neither produce nor acquire nuclear weapons. Furthermore, it will agree on maintaining the nuclear status quo until a deal is finalised, including an agreement to not enrich its uranium and not expanding nuclear facilities. In return, the US agrees that Tehran will dilute its massive stockpile of heavily enriched uranium inside the country, with a mechanism for doing so to be discussed within 60 days, though what this mechanism would entail is currently unclear. Iran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons, but has enriched and stockpiled uranium to near weapons-grade levels while openly seeking to destroy Israel. However, despite the Israel-Hezbollah war going on in Lebanon being a core issue for Iran, the draft made no mention of the situation. Iran has consistently linked that any peace deal requires a resolution to the parallel war in southern Lebanon between the IDF and its proxy militant outfit, though both Jerusalem and Washington have said that the situation in Lebanon is entirely separate from their joint war against Tehran, and as such it has no bearing on the final agreement. • Qatari mediators in Tehran to put final touches on possible deal: Page 9 VIBHA SHARMA Amid speculation that the Mamata Banerjee-led section of the Trinamul Congress (TMC) may be considering a closer alignment with its parent party, the Congress, possibly even a merger to safeguard its political future, similar chatter has emerged around former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Sources claim that “informal discussions and backchannel contacts” have taken place b etween the C ongress leadership and the YSRCP, fuelling speculation about a possible political understanding or even a ‘ghar wapsi’ to the grand old party. However, neither side has confirmed any such move. The situation in Andhra Pradesh is further complicated by family and p olitical dynamics. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) is headed by Y.S. Sharmila, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, who merged her own political outfit with the Congress. Sharmila and Jagan do not share cordial relations, and observers say that any arrangement involving the YSRCP and the Congress would be bound to face resistance from some quarters. Like Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar before him, Jagan Mohan Reddy broke away from the Congress following differences with the party leadership. He founded the YSRCP in 2011 after the death of his father, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, in a helicopter crash. The rumours of a possible TMC-Congress merger have also reignited speculation about the NCP (SP) returning to its parent party. Recently, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the time had come for regional parties that originated from the Congress, such as the TMC and NCP (SP), to rejoin the Congress if they genuinely wanted to defeat the BJP. Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole had also earlier indicated that such a possibility had been discussed, although there has been no fresh development on the issue.