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