Trinamool Congress MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee arrived at Parliament on Friday, June 19, 2026, to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla [1].
The meeting marks a critical escalation in the internal conflict within the Trinamool Congress. Banerjee is seeking to prevent the official recognition of a rebel faction that has split from the main party body.
Banerjee said to reporters upon his arrival that he would address the media following the conclusion of his discussions with the Speaker [2]. The visit to New Delhi is centered on the party's effort to maintain its legal standing and legislative strength amid the ongoing rift [1].
As part of the proceedings, Banerjee filed disqualification petitions against 20 rebel MPs [3]. These pleas are intended to remove the dissenting members from their seats in the Lok Sabha, citing a breach of party discipline, and the anti-defection laws governing Indian legislators [3].
Reports on the meeting's outcome have been inconsistent. Some accounts state that Banerjee arrived at Parliament for the meeting [1], while other reports indicate he failed to meet with Speaker Birla [4]. In those instances, the Trinamool Congress said he was called at a two-hour notice during a period of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate [4].
Banerjee's objective remains to present the party's case against the rebel faction to the Speaker, who holds the authority to decide on the disqualification of members under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution [3].
“Banerjee filed disqualification petitions against 20 rebel MPs.”
The outcome of the Speaker's decision on these disqualification pleas will determine the numerical strength of the Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha. If the 20 rebel MPs are disqualified, the party avoids a formal split that could lead to the loss of its recognized status or a shift in the balance of power within the coalition, though it risks losing those seats entirely if the rebels are not replaced.
