Three NCPI MPs from Bengal Meet Amit Shah; Reaffirm No Change in Stance
Three Lok Sabha MPs from West Bengal's Murshidabad district, belonging to the Nationalist Citizen Party of India (NCPI), met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (August 6, 2026), amid continued uncertainty over their political alignment. The MPs – Khalilur Rahaman from Jangipur, Yusuf Pathan from Baharampur, and Abu Taher Khan from Murshidabad – had earlier this week stated that they do not wish to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The meeting comes after the three skipped NDA meetings on two recent occasions. During the talks with the Home Minister, the MPs reportedly raised concerns about the SIR exercise in Murshidabad district, which they said has led to a high number of voter deletions and created anxiety among residents. They also discussed the issue of loudspeaker use in mosques, urging compliance with Supreme Court and High Court directives.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Khalilur Rahaman said, "We raised two specific points: first, we requested that the appeals currently pending before the tribunal regarding citizenship (NRC-related) be heard as soon as possible and that arrangements be made to include the beneficiaries' names in the voter list. Second, we requested that the use of loudspeakers at mosques, temples, or any other places of worship strictly adhere to the directives issued by the Supreme Court and High Courts."
When asked whether there had been any change in their stance regarding the NDA or the BJP, Rahaman replied, "There is no change in their stance." Two other NCPI MPs, Shatabdi Roy and Asit Mal, were also present during the meeting with the Home Minister.
The three MPs were part of a larger group that split from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee and later merged with the little-known NCPI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of MPs from the NCPI and the Shiv Sena for Friday (August 7, 2026). It remains unclear whether the three Muslim MPs, who represent minority-dominated constituencies, will attend the meeting. Political observers note that they may be reluctant to be seen as aligning with the BJP, given the views of their electorate.
The wider political context remains fluid. Of the 28 TMC MPs in the Lok Sabha, eight have so far remained loyal to Mamata Banerjee, according to sources. Reports also suggest that the three MPs have been in touch with senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy, who is considered close to Banerjee. The coming days are likely to clarify the political trajectory of these MPs and the NCPI as a whole.
