New Delhi, June 14: Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday strongly criticized the decision of rebel Trinamool Congress MPs to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), describing the development as a “theatre of the absurd” and questioning its constitutional validity.

Taking to social media platform X, Sibal argued that members of a legislative party cannot independently merge with another political outfit unless such a decision is taken by the parent party itself. He maintained that the rebel lawmakers should face disqualification under anti-defection provisions.

“TMC rebels claim they will merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party. Indian democracy has become a theatre of the absurd. The legislative party cannot merge with another political party on its own; such a move can happen only if the Trinamool Congress decides so. They should be disqualified,” Sibal wrote.

The remarks came after rebel TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar announced that 20 Lok Sabha MPs elected on the Trinamool Congress ticket had decided to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India while extending support to the NDA government.

Following a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Dastidar said the group had submitted a letter seeking separate seating arrangements in Parliament. She claimed that the rebel bloc represented more than two-thirds of the party’s strength in the Lok Sabha and would work alongside the NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We met the Speaker and requested separate seating in the House. Since we constitute more than two-thirds of the MPs elected on the AITC ticket, we are merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party. Going forward, we will work in the national interest and cooperate with the NDA under the Prime Minister’s leadership,” she stated.

Another rebel MP, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, endorsed the move and asserted that the question of which faction represents the “real” Trinamool Congress would ultimately be settled by the courts.

He said the Speaker had verified the signatures of all 20 MPs supporting the demand for separate seating and noted that the group met the two-thirds threshold required under the prevailing system. Bandyopadhyay further indicated that the rebel faction would seek recognition as the legitimate Trinamool Congress in the coming weeks.

“In July, we will formally seek the Trinamool Congress name since we represent two-thirds of the party’s parliamentary strength. The final decision will be made by the court,” he said.

Amid the deepening political turmoil, several rebel MPs, including Saayoni Ghosh, Mala Roy, Satabdi Roy, Arup Chakraborty, and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, also met Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, senior TMC leaders, including Kunal Ghosh, Gautam Deb and Chandrima Bhattacharya, held consultations at the residence of party chief Mamata Banerjee.

The developments come amid a widening crisis within the Trinamool Congress. A faction of 58 MLAs in West Bengal, led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, has revolted against the party leadership. In addition, three Rajya Sabha members — Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Baraik — have resigned from both the Upper House and the party, further intensifying the political uncertainty surrounding the TMC.