What lies ahead for the 20 West Bengal MPs who left the Trinamool Congress (TMC)? Their political future remains uncertain. Several days have passed since they joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), but the Lok Sabha Speaker has yet to recognize them as a separate parliamentary group. Meanwhile, speculation has intensified around Murshidabad MP Abu Taher, Jangipur MP Khalilur Rahman and Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan. Against this backdrop, NCPI MPs met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvedu Adhikari in New Delhi. The meeting, held at Banga Bhavan, lasted for more than one and a half hours, during which several political and developmental issues were reportedly discussed. According to reports, Chief Minister Suvedu Adhikari also held separate discussions with Abu Taher, Khalilur Rahman and Yusuf Pathan.
After the meeting, Mathurapur MP Bapi Haldar said that the NCPI had already extended its support to the NDA. He stated that the three MPs had some personal concerns, which they discussed openly with Chief Minister Suvedu Adhikari. Haldar maintained that the issues had been addressed clearly and that all three MPs remained with the party. He also dismissed reports of any internal controversy. According to him, the meeting included detailed discussions on the overall development of West Bengal. He said that Chief Minister Suvedu Adhikari had once again assured the MPs of his support and reaffirmed the commitments made earlier. Rachna Banerjee echoed similar views, describing the meeting as productive and saying that the state’s development was discussed in detail.
However, with the recognition of the NCPI MPs in the Lok Sabha still pending, some members are reportedly becoming impatient. A section of the MPs is also seeking an independent political identity instead of remaining merely an ally of the NDA. The three MPs from Murshidabad district are believed to share this demand. Murshidabad MP Abu Taher said, “If any bill against Muslim interests is introduced in Parliament, we will protest. If there is no development, we will not stay.” Their primary objective, therefore, is to secure recognition as a separate party in Parliament.
Fresh speculation also emerged after the three MPs remained absent from two NDA meetings and were seen meeting and interacting with TMC MP Saugata Roy on the Parliament premises. The photographs prompted questions over whether Abu Taher, Khalilur Rahman and Yusuf Pathan were considering a return to Mamata Banerjee’s camp. Although neither side commented on the matter, the rumours continued to gain momentum. In this situation, Chief Minister Suvedu Adhikari’s meeting with the NCPI MPs soon after arriving in New Delhi is being viewed as politically significant.