3 Ex-TMC MPs Join BJP Before Rajya Sabha Bypoll in WB

Kolkata: BJP has nominated three former Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MPs-- Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Susmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik-- for their fresh berths in the upper house of the parliament immediately after recruiting them in Kolkata on Thursday evening.

The development unfolded ahead of the by-election on July 24 in the RS seats the trio recently resigned from in a revolt against TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and her MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee over their party's Assembly poll debacle in West Bengal. Their return to the RS looks confirmed as BJP now have 208 assembly seats in the state.

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, who is also a RS member, welcomed Mr Roy, Ms Dev and Mr Baraik into the party at an induction ceremony. The speculation of BJP sending the trio to the RS became evident when Mr Bhattacharya, while replying to a question on the issue, said, “Let the guess continue.” Interestingly, he earlier made clear that no TMC leaders would be allowed in BJP after the change in power. This time, Mr Bhattacharya however tried to justify the trio’s induction on the basis of their clean image and background.

“Exception proves the law. Those TMC leaders, who never got involved in corruption, were already sought after by BJP. They are always welcome in our party. However our stand against the tainted remains unchanged,” he argued. His logic of favouring ‘good TMC’ faces for entry to BJP has raised eyebrows in his party.

Many in the ruling party have started questioning in private the very basis of making a differentiation to import figures from an opposition party. They also wonder whether the party still lacks bright and credible faces after forming the government here. After joining BJP, Ms Dev said that she recently met Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who advised her to join the party in Kolkata.