Opposition parties briefly stage a walkout from an all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon Session, protesting the invitation extended to a breakaway, or “rebel,” faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs. Several outlets report that the protest is largely symbolic: opposition leaders leave the meeting for a short period and then return to rejoin proceedings. The opposition argues that the invitation and related decisions involving rebel lawmakers amount to a “miscarriage of justice,” and they also object to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s handling of issues affecting rebel TMC MPs. Reports also say the dispute includes arrangements in the House for rebel TMC members and concerns about the merger of rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
In the meeting itself, accounts note sharp exchanges between the two factions of the TMC. The government defends inviting all groups to the all-party meeting, saying it must include all factions. The walkout and the broader disagreements are seen as an early sign of a potentially contentious parliamentary session starting Monday.
