NCPI MPs attend first NDA Parliamentary party meeting after defecting from TMC

After joining the NCPI, the MPs expressed their allegiance to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. A prominent member of the group, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, recently met with the Prime Minister.

Published - July 28, 2026 02:00 pm IST - New Delhi

PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves after attending the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party Meeting, ‘Mangal Milan,’ at the G.M.C. Balayogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building, in New Delhi on July 28, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANI

For the first time, a group of MPs who left the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) attended a meeting of the NDA Parliamentary Party on Tuesday (July 28, 2026) in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Union Ministers.

Key Developments

• 20 Lok Sabha MPs revolted against the TMC and joined the little-known NCPI.
• The MPs are currently sitting separately in the Lok Sabha, away from TMC members.
• Speaker Om Birla is yet to decide on granting recognition to the NCPI.
• After joining the NCPI, the MPs expressed their allegiance to the BJP-led NDA.
• Prominent NCPI member Sudip Bandyopadhyay recently met with the Prime Minister.

Reactions from NCPI MPs

Sayoni Ghosh, NCPI MP:

"I participated in the NDA meeting. It was an enriching and informative meeting in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, we had a discussion on FTAs. It was a positive discussion."

She also said that everyone should support the anti-paper leak bill, which will come up for discussion this afternoon.

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, NCPI MP:

"We came to know about the progress of the country, about FTAs, farmers. With the data we got, we will be able to make people understand these [issues] as well."

She noted that this was the first time 20 NCPI MPs were invited for the NDA's "Mangal Milan" meeting.

Satabdi Roy, actor-turned-politician:

"Good discussions took place during the meeting. We didn't see such things in the past. It was organised. They informed us about which bills are coming. The Prime Minister didn't speak."

Context and Other Details

The meeting was held days after student protests against the NEET paper leak and other exam irregularities led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister.

To pacify agitating students, the government promised to make the anti-paper leak law more stringent. Accordingly, the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday (July 27).

Senior Union Ministers in attendance included:

• Rajnath Singh
• Amit Shah
• J.P. Nadda
• Nitin Gadkari
• Piyush Goyal
• Kiren Rijiju

Meeting focus areas:

• Union Minister Shantanu Thakur said the meeting focused on trade and fisheries.
• Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said concerned Ministers gave presentations on the country's growth in trade and fisheries.