New Delhi, 18 July (H.S.): The Central government has invited 20 Members of Parliament who recently broke away from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to the all-party meeting scheduled ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju has written to Sudip Bandyopadhyay, the NCPI leader in the Lok Sabha, requesting his participation in the floor leaders' meeting to be held on July 19.

In the letter dated July 18, Rijiju stated that Sudip Bandyopadhyay, along with 20 Members of Parliament, had recently joined the NCPI and that the party’s request for official recognition is currently under consideration by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Nevertheless, in the interest of ensuring the smooth functioning of Parliament and facilitating discussions on various legislative matters, the government has invited the party to participate in the all-party meeting.

According to the letter, the meeting of leaders of various political parties represented in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will be held at 11:00 am on Sunday, July 19, in the Main Committee Room of the Parliament House Annexe.

The meeting will deliberate on important legislative business and other parliamentary matters scheduled to be taken up during the Monsoon Session. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs appealed to all political parties to extend their full cooperation in ensuring the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

Rijiju also requested Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who has been nominated as the Chief Whip of the NCPI, to attend the meeting. He said the presence of both leaders would contribute to meaningful discussions during the all-party deliberations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar