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    EYE ON INDIA                                                              JULY 17, 2026    |  The Indian Eye                    8

                               From Trinamool to BJP:

                 High-profile defections signal a

                       new phase in Bengal politics

                  The BJP’s induction of three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs has intensified the
              political confrontation in West Bengal, with both parties trading charges ahead of the July 24 bypolls

            OUR BUREAU
            Kolkata
                     est Bengal’s political battle
                     intensified  this  week  after
            Wthe Bharatiya Janata Party
            (BJP) inducted three former Trina-
            mool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha
            MPs into its ranks and immediately
            fielded them as candidates for the up-
            coming Rajya Sabha bypolls, prompt-
            ing sharp reactions from the ruling
            party, which dismissed the defections
            as inconsequential.
                Former   Rajya  Sabha   MPs
            Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita
            Dev  and  Prakash  Chik  Baraik  for-
            mally joined the BJP at the party’s
            state headquarters in Kolkata in the
            presence of West Bengal BJP presi-   West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya holds the party’s flag as a celebration as former Trinamool Congress MPs Sushmita Dev,
            dent  Samik  Bhattacharya  and other
            senior leaders. Within hours of their               Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, and Prakash Chik Baraik join BJP, in Kolkata on Thursday (ANI Photo)
            induction,  the  BJP  announced  them
            as its candidates for the July 24 Rajya   Trinamool Congress’s undisputed   The BJP has sought to project the   BJP state president Samik Bhat-
            Sabha bypolls.                    leader, but the party’s crushing defeat  defections as evidence that influential   tacharya welcomed the three leaders,
                The  bypolls  became  necessary   in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly  TMC figures are increasingly placing   saying  their  decision  reflected  grow-
            after the three leaders resigned from   elections  has  significantly  weakened  their  faith  in  Prime  Minister  Naren-  ing confidence in Prime Minister Mo-
            the Rajya Sabha last month. Polling   her  political  authority.  For  the  first  dra Modi’s leadership and the party’s   di’s leadership. He argued that West
            and  counting are scheduled for July   time since ending the Left Front’s 34-  governance model. While Banerjee   Bengal had suffered due to years of
            24. Downplaying the political impact   year rule in 2011, the TMC finds itself  continues to command a loyal support   political confrontation with the Cen-
            of the defections, TMC MP Dola Sen   in the opposition, triggering an exodus  base and remains the TMC’s principal   tre and said the BJP was committed to
            said the party’s fortunes depended   of senior leaders and exposing inter-  vote-puller, the challenge before her   accelerating the state’s development.
            on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee   nal fault lines that had long remained  is  no  longer  simply  confronting the   The TMC, however, accused the
            and the people rather than individual   hidden.  The  defections  of  former  BJP but rebuilding organisational dis-  BJP of engineering defections instead
            leaders.                          Rajya Sabha MPs Sukhendu Sekhar  cipline, preventing further defections   of seeking a fresh public mandate.
                “It makes no difference,” Sen   Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik  and convincing both party workers   Senior party leader Kunal Ghosh al-
            said, adding that elected representa-  Baraik to the BJP are being seen not  and voters that the TMC can remain a   leged that the BJP was relying on po-
            tives derive their mandate from Ma-  merely as isolated departures but as  credible alternative despite its loss of   litical manoeuvring to secure Rajya
            mata Banerjee and the people, and   signs of growing uncertainty within  power.                       Sabha victories and claimed that lead-
            suggesting that those leaving the party   the party.                    After joining the BJP, Sushmita   ers switching parties were unwilling to
            could be motivated by “fear or greed.”   The setbacks have also dented  Dev thanked the party leadership for   face the electorate again. He main-
            She said the electorate would deliver   Banerjee’s image as Bengal’s un-  nominating her to the Rajya Sabha and   tained that voters would ultimately
            the final verdict.                challenged political centre of gravity.  praised Prime Minister Narendra Mo-  judge those who had changed political
                The defections come amid signs   During the TMC’s years in power, her  di’s leadership. She said Modi’s vision   allegiance.
            of unrest within the TMC following   personal popularity and organisation-  had inspired millions of Indians and   The latest defections mark anoth-
            its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal As-  al control ensured remarkable party  highlighted his government’s focus on   er chapter in the intensifying political
            sembly elections, with the party facing   cohesion despite periodic rebellions.  the development of the Northeast. Dev   contest between the BJP and the TMC,
            rebellion in both the Assembly  and   That grip now appears less secure as  also  expressed  confidence  that  West   with the Rajya Sabha bypolls emerg-
            Parliament.                       leaders reassess their political futures  Bengal would witness a new phase of   ing as the next battleground in West
                Mamata Banerjee remains the   under a BJP-led state government.   development under BJP leadership.   Bengal’s evolving political landscape.

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