While being grilled by ED, Abhishek got 2-hour deadline from Speaker Birla ahead of decision on TMC rebels’ merger request: Report

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reportedly gave Trinamool Congress MP and General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee a tight 2-hour deadline to present his case before deciding on the rebel faction’s request for merger with little-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

According to news agency ANI, the Speaker’s office sent an email to Banerjee at 2 pm on June 15, asking him to appear at 4 pm.

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However, when the email was sent to the TMC leader, he was appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and didn’t have access to his mobile phone, the agency reported, citing sources.

Around 3 pm, the Lok Sabha Speaker’s office called TMC leader Kirti Azad to inform him about the scheduled meeting.

Azad then went to the Speaker’s office and informed that Abhishek Banerjee would not be able to attend the meeting since he was being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the 2023 teacher recruitment scam.

He further requested a new date and time for the meeting, and reiterated that Banerjee would “fully cooperate” with the Speaker’s office.

The Speaker is expected to speak to both sides before deliberating on the rebel faction’s merger request, 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.

Earlier on Sunday, 20 rebel MPs, led by veteran TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, met Speaker Birla at his residence in New Delhi.

They handed the Speaker a letter informing him about their decision to merge with a Tripura-based Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and requesting to be considered a separate bloc from the original TMC.