Three former TMC Rajya Sabha MPs in West Bengal – Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sukhendu Shekhar Roy – joined the BJP. TMC MP Dola Sen said that this will not make any difference to the party and the public will respond to it. BJP has given Rajya Sabha by-election tickets to all three.
TMC said – It does not matter if the leaders leave
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Dola Sen downplayed the joining of three former TMC Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP, saying the departure of the former leaders ‘will not make any difference’ to the West Bengal opposition party. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata after three prominent former TMC leaders – Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sukhendu Shekhar Roy joined the BJP, Sen stressed that party leaders are secondary to the mandate of Mamata Banerjee and the common people.
Dola Sen said, “It doesn’t matter. We have already responded to it and the public will also respond. We are all secondary factors. Mamata ji nominates us and asks people to vote for us, and that’s how we get votes and we become MPs or MLAs. It doesn’t really mean anything.”
‘Left the party due to fear or greed’
Taking a sharp dig at leaders leaving the party, the TMC MP said the defection could be motivated by personal motives or external pressures. He stressed that in a democratic system only the voters will take the final decision.
Sen further said, “Let them do what they want; this is a democratic country. Those who want to betray, let them do it – it may be because of fear or greed; I don’t know, and I don’t want to comment on it. But the common people will respond to that.”
BJP made candidate for Rajya Sabha by-election
Meanwhile, the three leaders were formally inducted at the BJP state headquarters in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and other senior party officials.
Within hours of joining the party, the BJP has fielded him for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections 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 also take place on the same day. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC leaders have reacted sharply to this move.
While welcoming the three leaders into the party, West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya said that he has expressed confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. TMC is currently facing a rebellion in both the Assembly and Parliament after its defeat in the 2026 assembly elections. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)