Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a series of disqualification petitions against rebel MPs amid escalating internal disputes within the party.Banerjee was accompanied by senior leaders Saugata Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien.Speaking to the media after the meeting, Banerjee said the delegation had presented its case in detail, supported by legal arguments, constitutional provisions and judicial precedents. He noted that around 20 petitions had been filed, each running to 21 pages, and containing supporting material such as media reports and documentation of recent political developments involving the MPs concerned.“We now expect the Speaker to act in accordance with the Constitution,” Banerjee stated. He argued that elected representatives who join another political party after being elected on a party symbol effectively give up their membership of the original party, which should result in the termination of their Lok Sabha membership.Challenging the rebels’ claim of a “merger,” Banerjee stressed that parliamentary rules recognise a merger only when two-thirds of the political party itself merges with another party, not merely two-thirds of the legislative wing.He referred to recent developments in which around 20 TMC MPs met the Speaker and claimed to have formed a separate group. Within hours, a section of MPs allegedly announced alignment with a little-known political outfit, the Nationalist Citizens Party of India.Banerjee accused the rebel MPs of violating constitutional norms and betraying the mandate of West Bengal’s voters. He said those who switch allegiance after being elected on a party ticket should resign if they possess “integrity.”He further alleged that the breakaway MPs were acting under pressure or inducement and made references to investigations by central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation, claiming that some individuals were attempting to shield themselves from legal scrutiny. He also stated that he had “concrete proof” of such claims and was prepared to present it in a court of law if challenged.