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 LC | 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 little-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India, 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 Rebel Trinamul Congress (TMC) MPs meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi on Sunday. AGENCIES Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said the dissidents 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, primarily active in Tripura and 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 Trinamul’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. She said the group had now been joined by two more MPs 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. • Related reports: Page 3 | SILIGURI | Monday, 15 June 2026 PM Modi, President Macron hold talks, discuss trade, defence, AI cooperation STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 14 June Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held extensive bilateral talks in Nice on Sunday, reaffirming the strength of the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership and outlining an ambitious agenda to deepen cooperation across defence, technology, innovation, trade, education, culture and global affairs. The meeting was the first between the two leaders since India and France elevated their relationship earlier this year to the level of a “Special Global Strategic Partnership.” The discussions focussed on expanding strategic cooperation and reviewing progress under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, which serves as a long-term framework for bilateral engagement. According to an official statement, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the growing depth of defence cooperation and agreed to further intensify collaboration through co-design, co - development and co - production of advanced defence platforms and technologies. The two sides also reviewed their partnership in the space sector and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in human spaceflight, space situational awareness and private-sector participation in space activities. The leaders discussed measures to strengthen economic ties and agreed to establish a High-Level Mechanism aimed at doubling bilateral trade within the next five years. Discussions also covered cooperation in small and medium enterprises, aviation and railways. The two countries welcomed an agreement to establish a Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics in Kanpur. India and France have also adopted an “Innovation Roadmap 2030” to provide long-term direction to their partnership in technology and innovation. The leaders agreed to expand cooperation in artificial intelligence and announced the creation of a Joint India-France AI Working Group. Prime Minister Modi and President Macron earlier in the day jointly inaugurated the flagship “Bharat Innovates 2026” event in Nice.