This was one case of alleged horsetrading where the cart came before the horse. Now, the horse is catching up.
A month after the little-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) surfaced as the new home of rebel Trinamool Congress MPs, becoming in the process the fourth-largest party in Parliament, where it is set to make its debut on Monday, it has got a professionally managed social media presence, a self-claimed network of grassroots workers, and phone calls “by the hundreds” seeking to join it. A president ushered in the wake of the NCPI’s newfound fame, whom no one even within the party knew, Jyotiprakash Chatterji, has also made an appearance.
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The surprises end there. Speaking to The Indian Express, Chatterji, who puts his age at “early 40s”, says that yes, the NCPI’s loyalties – or that of the rebel TMC MPs – lie firmly with the BJP-led NDA. “We are committed to strengthening the NDA. Whatever Bill or proposal the NDA brings in Parliament, our MPs will support them.”
Shewly Kundu at the NCPI office. (Photo by Partha Paul)
Chatterji also cites an old association with the BJP, as its youth leader in South Kolkata and a spokesperson. On why he remained faceless so far (literally, with the NCPI putting up only a silhouette when announcing his name for the post on June 16), Chatterji says: “Whenever the NDA leadership asks, I will surely come out and brief the media. Before that, we have to make a party office in Kolkata and rework our organisational structure.”
Read | Why Trinamool’s rebel MPs merged with NCPI, a little-known party
Shewly Kundu, Chatterji’s predecessor as NCPI president, says: “We have submitted details of our newly constituted apex committee to the Election Commission of India (ECI) as well as shared our symbol (pen with seven rays). We are expecting the ECI to clear the same very soon.” An advocate, the 39-year-old practises in the Calcutta High Court.
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Her husband and NCPI general secretary Uttiya Kundu, 52, sits at the almost-hidden building in Hatgacha, Howrah, which is the party’s “main office”. Not for long, says Uttiya. Former senior TMC leader and NCPI parliamentary party head, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, is searching for “a suitable place in Kolkata where our headquarters can shift”, he says.
Uttiya Kundu at the NCPI office. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
“We were with the NDA when we formed the party, and remain an ally of the NDA. Anyone who is not ready to support the NDA, has no place in our party,” Uttiya says.
This seems a message to NCPI members who had publicly voiced their befuddlement when the change in fortunes swept the party last month, with the BJP’s blessings. Before that, the NCPI’s only electoral record was contesting two seats in the 2022 Assembly polls in Tripura and 11 in the 2023 West Bengal panchayat elections, registering barely a blip.
However, Uttiya insists, “We have a huge organisation already. Thousands of people in Bengal and Tripura are our members. Now, after getting 20 MPs, we have got recognition countrywide. All the MPs will be absorbed in our apex committee as per our rules.”
Uttiya is open about having met top leaders of the BJP in Delhi before the TMC rebel MPs joined the NCPI. “I was also in touch with state BJP leaders. We passed a resolution in our party of merger with the rebel TMC MPs before they joined,” he claims.
He admits that NCPI old-timers haven’t really had much face time with the new joinees though. “We are in contact with each other but next week probably we will sit and decide our future plan of action. We are getting a huge number of phone calls, many people are eager to join us. But, we are yet to decide who will be included.”
Uttiya Kundu at the NCPI office. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
Soon after its MP acquisitions shot the NCPI to national attention, personnel of Central forces and police had arrived to guard the Hatgacha building. Uttiya says they are no longer around as he requested that they be withdrawn. “I don’t want such protection. I want to live with the people,” he says, adding: “Our plus point is our social work. Whoever benefited from our work calls me baba. I have 36 such daughters who stayed here to pursue their studies.”
Uttiya is also eager to talk about the NCPI’s all-new Facebook page, “now handled by professionals”. One of the latest posts on it is a statement by Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, the NCPI’s Chief Whip in Parliament, saying: “The symbol we won on (the TMC’s) was never meant to be misused against the people… Our commitment has always been to the people of Bengal, not to positions or power… NCPI remains committed to serving the people with integrity, transparency, and accountability.”
Most of the updates on the NCPI Facebook page, in fact, are about the new MPs. Shrugs Uttiya: “I may be there or not, but our party will grow now.”