The Lok Sabha Speaker's office has approved a proposal for a separate seating arrangement for 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs inside the House, a decision that has now drawn sharp criticism from the Congress party.
What the Speaker approved
Under the new arrangement, the 20 MPs who have broken ranks with the TMC leadership will no longer sit with the rest of their party's benches in the Lok Sabha and will instead be given a separate seating block. The move formalises a rift that has been simmering within the party's parliamentary contingent for some time.
Congress reaction
Congress leader Tariq Anwar reacted sharply to the Speaker's decision, saying, "This was bound to happen." The remark suggests Congress had anticipated the split within the TMC's ranks in Parliament and views the Speaker's move as a formal acknowledgment of a rift that already existed.
TMC accuses rebels of backing NDA
Suspended TMC leader Riju Dutta weighed in on the rebel MPs, saying, "They have clearly announced support for NDA." The comment amounts to an accusation from within the party itself that the 20 MPs, now seated separately on the Speaker's orders, have effectively aligned themselves with the ruling NDA bloc rather than standing with the TMC.
What this means going forward
With the Speaker's office giving the rebel group a distinct identity inside the Lok Sabha through separate seating, the internal split in the TMC's parliamentary party is now visible on the floor of the House itself. The development comes at a time when West Bengal's political landscape is being closely watched, and any further move by the 20 MPs is likely to be scrutinised for its impact on numbers and alliances in the Lok Sabha.
