- By Shubham Bajpai
- Tue, 16 Jun 2026 05:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Trinamool Congress MP and general secretary nephew Abhishek Banerjee found himself in the middle of a crisis on Monday after he received a two-hour window from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to put forth his position on the ongoing TMC crisis.
However, the notice sent via email became a standoff between the Mamata faction and the Speaker's Office, as Abhishek was in the middle of the Enforcement Directorate questioning, which lasted 11 hours. As he was in the middle of questioning, he didn't have access to his phone or email.
Kirti Azad rushes to Speaker's office
According to sources cited by news agency ANI, within an hour of the email being sent, the Speaker's office placed a phone call to TMC MP Kirti Azad to inform him of the scheduled appointment.
The email was allegedly sent to Abhishek at 2 PM. The Speaker had summoned him to appear before 4 PM.
Kirti Azad then physically visited the Speaker's Office to apprise officials of Banerjee's unavailability and the complexities involved. Azad informed the office that Banerjee was currently cooperating with government agencies in an ongoing investigation and was in the middle of an ED interrogation session.
On behalf of the party, specifically the Mamata faction, Azad requested a later date and time for the meeting, reiterating that Abhishek intends to "cooperate fully" with the Speaker's proceedings.
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The Speaker is expected to hear both sides before taking a final decision on the rebel faction's merger request into NCPI, which has triggered a fresh legal and political tug-of-war within the TMC.
While the rebels seek recognition for their move, the TMC leadership has moved to protect its flock and challenge the validity of the request.
Speaker to decide after legal opinion
The Speaker is likely to seek a legal opinion on the rebel MPs' demand to be recognised as a separate group after a proposed merger with NCPI, a little-known Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP).
The legal opinion from the Union Law Ministry will likely form the basis of the Speaker's decision so as to ensure it stands judicial scrutiny if challenged in court, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.
The decision is to be taken before the commencement of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament, which traditionally starts from the third week of July.