Opposition protests invite to TMC rebels to all-party meeting
Opposition parties in India staged a walkout during an all-party meeting to protest the government's recognition of a breakaway faction of the Trinamool Congress. The dispute centers on the legal status of the faction and its potential impact on parliamentary seating and anti-defection laws.
Why it matters
The conflict highlights ongoing tensions within the Indian opposition and raises questions about parliamentary procedure and party loyalty.
NEW DELHI: In solidarity with the Mamata Banerjee-headed Trinamool Congress, opposition parties on Sunday staged a rare walkout from the all-party meeting to protest the govt’s invite to its breakaway faction, even as both warring groups took potshots at one another, foretelling a fiery session of Parliament from Monday.Govt, however, defended its decision, asserting that it cannot deny space to the faction of 20 MPs who have approached Speaker Om Birla for recognising their merger with Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and have already been allotted separate seats in Lok Sabha.“It is govt’s duty to invite every group,” parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters.
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