Opposition Parties Walk Out of All-Party Meeting Over Rebel MPs

Opposition parties staged a symbolic walkout from a government-convened all-party meeting in New Delhi on July 19, 2026, to protest the invitation extended to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The Government of India invited the NCPI, which includes a faction of 20 rebel MPs from the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), to discuss the legislative agenda for the Monsoon Session beginning July 20.

Opposition leaders, including Mahua Moitra and Jairam Ramesh, argued that the invitation was premature and unlawful. They stated that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not yet approved the merger of the rebel MPs into the NCPI nor ruled on pending disqualification petitions. While the Speaker approved separate seating for these MPs, the opposition maintains they remain TMC constituents. Additionally, Shiv Sena (UBT) protested the Speaker's prior decision to recognize a separate merger of six rebel MPs into Eknath Shinde's faction.

NCPI leader Sudip Bandhopadhyay defended the party's participation, citing the formal government invitation and the party's commitment to national unity. Following the brief walkout, opposition members returned to the meeting. Other points of contention raised by the opposition included the proposed delimitation exercise and issues such as exam paper leaks and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust donation scam. The NCPI later scheduled a strategy meeting at Samvidhan Sadan to prepare for the session running through August 13.