INDIA bloc staged a symbolic walkout over separate seating for unrecognised rebel TMC lawmakers at the meeting.
Opposition leaders questioned the rebels' legal status, saying the Speaker has not recognised them as a separate party.
Government held the all-party meeting ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session to discuss the legislative agenda and priorities.
Members of the INDIA bloc staged a symbolic walkout and later rejoined the Centre's all-party meeting on July 19, 2026. The protest followed a controversial seating arrangement for rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmakers, as India Today reported.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju convened the meeting at the Parliament Annexe ahead of the Monsoon Session. The meeting discussed the legislative agenda and issues likely to dominate the upcoming session, which is expected to witness heated debates over several contentious issues.
The disruption occurred when the government allotted a separate table to the 'Nationalist Congress of Progressive India' (NCPI). The faction consists of around 20 dissident TMC lawmakers. Sources said the rebels received separate seating after they asked not to sit alongside TMC MPs.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not yet formally recognised the rebel MPs as a separate parliamentary party.
Constitutional Validity Questioned
Opposition leaders challenged the legal standing of the group. TMC MP Mahua Moitra said the walkout was a unified stand by INDIA bloc parties—including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Aam Aadmi Party, National Conference, Left parties and Shiv Sena (UBT)—against the unrecognised group.
Moitra said, "These so-called rebel 20 MPs, their merger has not been approved by the Speaker. The 20 disqualification petitions are still pending. After the 91st amendment, there is no room for a separate bloc. So on what grounds did the Parliamentary Affairs Minister extend an invitation to these 20 rebel MPs and how are they attending this meeting? We have registered our strong protest and walked out as a symbol of our protest. And we thank all our opposition parties."
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the walkout was intended "to uphold the Constitution". Tiwari called the early recognition "completely unconstitutional".
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant also questioned the administrative decision. Sawant asked under what legal provision the rebel MPs were granted a separate identity, adding, "We too have protested against it and walked out."
Wider Democratic Concerns
AAP leaders cited similar grievances. AAP Rajya Sabha MP ND Gupta drew parallels to an internal dispute where seven of his party's 10 Rajya Sabha MPs were 'hijacked'.
Gupta said the rebel lawmakers received separate seating while the adjudication remained pending. "This is a mere hijack and murder of democracy," he said.
The consensus meeting featured high-level participation. Key attendees included opposition leaders Jairam Ramesh, John Brittas, Dharmendra Yadav, Saugata Roy, Mahua Moitra, Mahua Maji, Pramod Tiwari, NK Premachandran, Supriya Sule, K Suresh, Sanjay Jha, Tiruchi Siva, Gaurav Gogoi, Shrikant Shinde and Arvind Sawant.
Government representatives Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister JP Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal also attended the discussions.
