Hooghly, July 19 -- Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Sunday said that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's decision to grant separate seating to 20 rebel TMC MPs was not "expected", arguing that the Speaker has disqualification petitions already pending against rebel MPs which were not addressed before making the decision.

Speaking to reporters here, Banerjee said, "We have already filed petitions seeking disqualification on grounds of defection before the Speaker. Now, without deciding the questions raised in the disqualification applications against the 20 persons... It was not expected that the recognition would be made by the Speaker."

His remarks follow Om Birla's approval for the separate seating in the Lok Sabha for 20 MPs ...