TMC rebels' new party NCPI set to debut in Parliament as NDA ally

Less than a month after 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), the party is set to make its Parliament debut on Monday. The NCPI, which was little-known until recently, now has a professionally managed social media presence, a network of grassroots workers, and has been receiving hundreds of phone calls from people seeking to join it. The party has also appointed a new president, Jyotiprakash Chatterji, who was previously unknown even within the party.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Chatterji said the NCPI's loyalties lie firmly with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). 'We are committed to strengthening the NDA. Whatever Bill or proposal the NDA brings in Parliament, our MPs will support them,' he said. Chatterji cited an old association with the BJP, having served as a youth leader in South Kolkata and a party spokesperson. When asked about his previous anonymity, he said, 'Whenever the NDA leadership asks, I will surely come out and brief the media. Before that, we have to make a party office in Kolkata and rework our organisational structure.'

Shewly Kundu, Chatterji's predecessor as NCPI president, said the party has submitted details of its newly constituted apex committee to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and shared its symbol—a pen with seven rays. She expects the ECI to clear it soon. Shewly Kundu, an advocate, practices in the Calcutta High Court. Her husband, Uttiya Kundu, serves as the party's general secretary and operates from the party's main office in Hatgacha, Howrah. He said the location is temporary, as former senior TMC leader and NCPI parliamentary party head Sudip Bandyopadhyay is searching for a suitable place in Kolkata for the headquarters.

Uttiya Kundu said the NCPI was formed as an ally of the NDA and remains so, adding that anyone not ready to support the NDA has no place in the party. This appears to be a message to NCPI members who were confused by the sudden influx of MPs with the BJP's backing. Before the acquisition of the 20 MPs, the NCPI's only electoral footprint was contesting two seats in the 2022 Tripura Assembly polls and 11 seats in the 2023 West Bengal panchayat elections, where it performed poorly. Despite this, Uttiya Kundu claimed, 'We have a huge organisation already. Thousands of people in Bengal and Tripura are our members. Now, after getting 20 MPs, we have got recognition countrywide. All the MPs will be absorbed in our apex committee as per our rules.'

Uttiya Kundu acknowledged meeting top BJP leaders in Delhi before the TMC rebels joined the NCPI. He also said he was in touch with state BJP leaders and that the party passed a resolution for merger with the rebel MPs before they joined. However, he admitted that NCPI old-timers have not had much interaction with the new MPs. 'We are in contact with each other but next week probably we will sit and decide our future plan of action. We are getting a huge number of phone calls, many people are eager to join us. But, we are yet to decide who will be included,' he said.