A little-known political outfit, the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), has come into the spotlight after a rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), comprising 20 MPs, announced its merger with the party.
The NCPI is classified as a Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP), a category that includes newly registered parties or those that have failed to secure the vote share or seats required for recognition as a state or national party. Political parties that have never contested an election may also fall under this category.
The party is primarily active in Northeast India and has participated in elections in Tripura. Reports also suggest that it has expanded its organisational presence in Meghalaya.
Who is the president of NCPI?
Shewly Kundu is the president of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. An advocate practising at the Calcutta High Court, she heads the party's national leadership.
Salkat Das serves as the party’s general secretary, while Sudam Jetty is its treasurer.
Shewly Kundu is married to Uttiya Kundu, editor of a Bengali newspaper. He is also a mathematics teacher and health consultant. Posters from 2023 Tripura Assembly elections suggest he is also the vice president of the party.
NCPI’s poll performance in Tripura
The NCPI contested the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, fielding candidates in four constituencies — Chawamanu, Ambassa, Karamchara and Kailashahar.
The party performed poorly in all four seats, with its candidates either polling fewer votes than the “None of the Above” (NOTA) option or only marginally outperforming it.
During the campaign, the party urged voters to reject political defections, adopting the slogan: “Reject political turncoats to save your rights.”
Its election posters carried a similar message: “To save your rights, reject political turncoats. Support social workers, not political personalities.”
As a registered unrecognised political party, the NCPI contested the elections on the pen-nib symbol allotted to it by the Election Commission.
Uttiya Kundu’s meeting with Suvendu
NCPI Vice President Uttiya Kundu met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He shared a picture of the meeting on his Facebook page on May 13.
"The days of merely dreaming are over; now it is time to turn those dreams into reality. May the victorious journey of Shri Suvendu Adhikari as the Chief Minister of Bengal be auspicious and successful. May every particle of Bengal's soil be revitalized through your determination and resolve," he wrote.
ALSO READ: From 'reject turncoats' to now welcoming them: NCPI's political twist amid merger of 20 TMC rebels
