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 | LUCKNOW 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 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. | 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.