A Facebook post by the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) congratulating Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the party's leader in the Lok Sabha was deleted shortly after it was published, adding a fresh twist to the political developments surrounding the little-known outfit that has suddenly found itself at the centre of attention.
The post appeared on a newly created NCPI Facebook page after a group of rebel Trinamool Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and informed him that their parliamentary bloc would merge with the party. While the page welcomed the MPs individually, a specific post describing Kakoli as the party's Lok Sabha leader was later removed.
The NCPI page, however, continued to project itself as a major parliamentary force from West Bengal. In one graphic, the party claimed it now has 20 Lok Sabha MPs from the state, compared to 12 for the BJP, eight for the Trinamool Congress and one for the Congress.
“With 20 seats in the Lok Sabha, NCPI is now the largest political force from West Bengal in terms of parliamentary strength. The voice of the state at the national level,” the post stated.
According to information available on the page, the party's headquarters is located in Hatgacha village under Sankrail police station limits in Howrah district. The sudden spotlight on NCPI has sparked curiosity about the organisation, which many political observers and residents were largely unfamiliar with until the rebel MPs' announcement.
Local residents said the party has been present in the area since 2022 and had contested the 2023 panchayat elections. However, it did not field candidates in the subsequent Lok Sabha or Assembly elections.
As news of the merger spread on Sunday evening, crowds gathered outside the party office in Hatgacha. No party representatives were available at the premises, following which police and central forces were deployed in the area.
Speaking to Anandabazar.com, NCPI founder member and former National Organising General Secretary Shantanu De distanced himself from the developments.
“I am a founding member of this party. I was not informed about today's development. Had I known, I would have opposed it. I am still opposing it,” De said.
NCPI president Uttiya Kundu declined to comment on the induction of the rebel Trinamool MPs. Referring to De, he said, “The tenure of his committee has already ended.”
Shiuli Kundu, who described herself as the party's founding president and a former office-bearer, also declined to elaborate on the developments.
“I do not want to say anything right now. I will speak later,” she said. Asked whether she welcomed the entry of the MPs, Shiuli replied in the affirmative but refused to comment further.
The deletion of the post naming Kakoli as the party's parliamentary leader has raised fresh questions about the structure of the newly expanded bloc, even as NCPI continues to celebrate the arrival of the rebel Trinamool MPs on its social media platforms.
