TMC has suffered a big setback in West Bengal. Three former Rajya Sabha MPs Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik have joined BJP. BJP has declared all three as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha by-election. TMC has called it a betrayal.
Kolkata (West Bengal) [भारत]July 9 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) has suffered another major blow with three of its prominent former Rajya Sabha MPs – Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These leaders were formally inducted at the BJP state headquarters in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Sameek Bhattacharya and other senior party officials.
Within hours of joining the party, the BJP has fielded him for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal. By-elections will be held on July 24 on the seats left vacant after the resignation of three former TMC leaders last month and counting of votes will take place on the same day.
TMC said betrayal
Mamata Banerjee-led TMC leaders have reacted sharply to this move. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh criticized the leaders, especially Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, calling it an act of “ungratefulness”. Ghosh argued that leaving the party during a challenging period was a betrayal of the trust placed in him by the former chief minister, and said the public was closely watching this act of opportunism.
Ghosh told ANI, “Sukhendu Shekhar Roy is a senior leader. Before 2011, he was never an MLA or an MP. Mamata Banerjee sent him to the Rajya Sabha as a mark of respect. And this was repeated many times. So today, if he is joining the BJP or doing something else, did Mamata Banerjee deserve the same? Just because a party has gone into opposition for a short period, if senior leaders start making such changes.”
He further said, “Now to say that this is bad, that is bad. See, when Mamata Banerjee was the Chief Minister, you left nothing, and now the time has come to leave everything. The public is seeing everything.”
Rebel TMC MP Ritabrata Banerjee stressed his long-standing friendship with the three men, calling them mentors and colleagues. Ritabrata Banerjee said, “I have a long-standing relationship with Sukhendu da; he is a senior politician who has often guided me. Sushmita is a friend; we both became MPs in 2014. Prakash is like a younger brother to me. If he takes any personal decision, I have no say in it.”
Acknowledging that their political paths had parted ways, he said that in a democracy individuals have the right to make their own choices, and he affirmed that his personal relationship with him would remain unchanged. He said, “Political views may differ, but personal ties remain. They have every right to do so in a democracy. I have very good relations with all three. They may take political stands contrary to mine, but the personal bond will undoubtedly remain.”
New leaders praised PM Modi’s leadership
Meanwhile, after joining BJP, Sushmita Dev praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and cited the “double-engine” government model as the reason for her move. Dev said, “As I have said earlier, the work that has been done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the country and in the states with ‘double-engine’ governments is undeniable; no one can deny it. I want to tell the people of West Bengal: give just two years to Chief Minister Suvendu Babu and Prime Minister Modi. You will see that just as the face of Assam and Tripura has changed, the face of West Bengal will change completely.”
In a scathing attack on his former party colleagues, Dev referred to the recent internal discord within the TMC. He said, “Mahua ji herself talks about purification of TMC, which means she believes that TMC is impure. Kunal Ghosh ji says in the assembly that it is a party of rapists; only Kunal ji can answer who actually gave tickets to those rapists.”
Former Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, speaking to ANI, expressed his optimism over the BJP’s style of governance and commitment to its manifesto. Roy said, “This government has taken up every agenda item listed in the manifesto and started working with great speed and vigour. The general public is happy with it. More work will be done, and that is why we are full of great hope and happiness.”
BJP welcomed senior leaders
Welcoming the new members, West Bengal BJP president Sameek Bhattacharya said the arrival of such experienced leaders shows the growing confidence in PM Modi’s vision. “It is indeed a matter of great joy. So many prominent leaders are trusting the Bharatiya Janata Party today; they are moving forward with confidence in the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Bhattacharya told ANI.
Welcoming the three leaders into the party, West Bengal BJP President Sameek Bhattacharya said that they have expressed confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, “The Left Front ruled for 34 years, followed by the Trinamool Congress. The politics pursued in West Bengal for so long disregarded and rejected our federal structure; instead of cooperating with the Centre, the path of confrontation was adopted, thereby stalling all development. In this backdrop, and placing their faith in the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, three MPs resigned from the Trinamool Congress. Today, all three–Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sukhendu Shekhar Roy have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Everyone is aware of their performance in the Rajya Sabha.
He also said, “It is a joyous occasion for us, and the entire BJP is very happy. On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and as its state president, our workers, along with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, the entire Cabinet and our entire organization, welcome these three individuals wholeheartedly and with great joy. The TMC is currently facing a rebellion in both the Assembly and Parliament after its defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections. (ANI)”
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