Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will take a decision in the matter of Trinamool Congress' rebel MPs only after hearing both sides, reported news agency ANI,
citing sources. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is witnessing one of its worst crises as 20 dissident MPs demanded to be recognised as a separate group after its planned merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The 20 MPs from the TMC's rebel faction had met the Speaker and submitted a letter, and requested merger of their group with NCPI. According to the news agency, the Speaker's office has sent an email to the group of TMC MPs led by Mamata Banerjee. These MPs have been called for a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker. Only after this, the Speaker will take any decision related to the rebel faction, the news agency quoted sources as saying.
Earlier on June 15, the Lok Sabha Speaker's Office emailed Abhishek Banerjee on June 15th at 2 PM and asked him to meet Birla till 4 PM, the news agency reported citing TMC sources. Within an hour of the Lok Sabha Speaker sending a mail to Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP Kirti Azad received a phone call during which he received information regarding the email and appointment time.
Following this, Kirti Azad went to the Speaker's Office to apprise them that Abhishek Banerjee intended to cooperate with Government agencies in their investigation and was in the middle of being questioned by ED and therefore would not be able to attend the 4 PM meeting. Following this, a later time and date have been sought for the meeting, the report said.
Earlier, it was reported that the Lok Sabha speaker will seek legal opinion in writing before taking the final decision, so if challenged, it could withstand judicial scrutiny.
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Speaking to reporters after their meeting with Birla, rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said 20 TMC MPs had signed a representation submitted to the Speaker. "Two-thirds of TMC MPs have given a letter to the speaker for a separate seating arrangement. We will merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party and support the NDA," she said.
