0 months ago
Murshidabad rebel TMC MPs reject NDA, stay in NCPI
In India, people called Members of Parliament, or MPs, help make laws for the country.
Three MPs used to belong to a party called the Trinamool Congress, but they left and joined a smaller group called the NCPI.
The government is led by a group of parties called the NDA, and one of the biggest parties in it is the BJP.
These three MPs were asked to come to NDA meetings, but they said no — twice.
They said they have voters to answer to, and they do not want to upset the people who elected them.
Most voters in their areas are Muslims, and the MPs promised not to support any law that is unfair to Muslims.
One of the MPs, Yusuf Pathan, used to be a famous cricketer.
Some other leaders say the MPs are playing a double game by staying in the NCPI but not supporting the NDA.
Others think the MPs are just trying to protect their voters.
The three MPs also met the chief minister of their state to talk about roads and other development work.
Three rebel TMC Lok Sabha MPs from Murshidabad — Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahaman and Yusuf Pathan — skipped the NDA coordination meeting in Delhi for the second consecutive week.
They said they will stay in the NCPI but will not join or support the NDA or the BJP, saying 'We have voters to answer to.'
Khan said they will not back any move, policy or Bill that goes against Muslim interests; Pathan raised over 27 lakh people deleted from Bengal's voter lists.
Sources said the trio's departure would drop the NCPI below the two-thirds anti-defection threshold of 19 of the 28 original TMC Lok Sabha MPs.
They later met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and BJP leaders at Banga Bhavan, while TMC, BJP, CPI(M) and Congress leaders accused them of 'double standards.'
- Who
- Three rebel TMC Lok Sabha MPs — Abu Taher Khan (Murshidabad), Khalilur Rahaman (Jangipur) and Yusuf Pathan (Baharampur) — now with the NCPI.
- What
- They refused to join or support the BJP-led NDA while staying in the NCPI, skipping NDA meetings twice.
- Where
- New Delhi — Parliament and Banga Bhavan.
- When
- Announced on Tuesday, the second consecutive week the MPs skipped the NDA coordination meeting.
- Why
- They fear voter backlash in their Muslim-dominated constituencies in Murshidabad if they backed the NDA or BJP.
The trio and their supporters
Their political critics
Refusing to support the NDA
The trio and their supporters
The MPs say they are in the NCPI but not the NDA or BJP, have 'voters to answer to,' and will not support any move, policy or Bill that goes against Muslim interests.
Their political critics
CPI(M)'s Sujan Chakraborty called it a 'fascist tool' for a 'shadow Opposition,' Congress's Soumya Aich Roy said they fooled the minority community, and Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said people will not accept such 'double standards.'
The Banga Bhavan meeting with the Chief Minister
The trio and their supporters
The NCPI framed the meeting as routine coordination on constituency development funds and rehabilitation of displaced party workers.
Their political critics
Sources called it a damage-control exercise, and Mamata Banerjee alleged the regime is securing defections through fear, telling people 'join the BJP or go to jail.'
Alleged contact with TMC
The trio and their supporters
The MPs insist they remain in the NCPI and want to recontest their seats under the NCPI banner in 2029.
Their political critics
TMC's Saugata Roy said they 'failed to take the final step' after consulting TMC, and Kunal Ghosh claimed six, not three, NCPI MPs were in touch with the Mamata camp.
Key facts
- Key MPs
- Abu Taher Khan (Murshidabad), Khalilur Rahaman (Jangipur), Yusuf Pathan (Baharampur)
- Current affiliation
- NCPI (Nationalist Citizens Party of India)
- Meeting skipped
- NDA coordination meeting 'Mangal Milan', chaired by PM Narendra Modi — twice
- Stated commitment
- No joining or support of NDA/BJP; no votes on bills against Muslim interests
- Voter list issue raised
- Over 27 lakh people deleted from Bengal's voter lists
- Anti-defection threshold
- At least 19 of 28 original TMC Lok Sabha MPs must stay with the NCPI
- Banga Bhavan meeting
- 22 Bengal MPs with CM Suvendu Adhikari, Bhupendra Yadav and Nishikant Dubey
- PAC chairperson
- Kanaia Lal Agarwal named chairperson of the public accounts committee
Quotes
Samik Bhattacharya
Bengal BJP president
“We were part of the meeting with the CM. I highlighted the plight of people whose names have been deleted from voter lists in Bengal. There are over 27 lakh. I also urged the CM to see whether tribunals can be set up to speed up the process. He said he will do whatever he can.”
indianexpress.com
“"You go and find out… count the number (present). Some pictures have been taken.","Count them... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... keep watching. This is just the beginning. A lot more is going to happen."”
telegraphindia.com








