Three prominent political figures from the Trinamool Congress, namely Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Prakash Chik Baraik, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday, July 9, in Kolkata. Their entry into the BJP comes just a few weeks after they submitted their resignations from the TMC, a move that followed a period of growing internal rebellion within Mamata Banerjee's party. The induction ceremony took place at the party's Salt Lake office, where West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya and other senior party officials welcomed the trio into the fold.
Official Welcome and Political Context
During the event, Samik Bhattacharya presented the new members with the BJP flag. He stated that the extensive political experience of these leaders would significantly bolster the party's strength within the state. This switch happens at a critical juncture, as the Trinamool Congress continues to struggle with severe internal strife and organizational discord following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections.
Reasons Cited by the Leaders for Joining BJP
Upon joining their new party, the leaders articulated their grievances against the TMC and their reasons for leaving:
- Sukhendu Sekhar Roy: Roy claimed that he was the only member of Parliament to voice opposition during the R G Kar incident. He stated that despite there being 800 parliamentarians in the country, very few spoke out on the issue. He alleged that he was frequently summoned to the Lal Bazar headquarters of the Kolkata Police for raising his voice, while those who are often seen on television remained silent. He further mentioned that he had received death threats. He declared that he joined the BJP specifically because of its stance against the corruption prevalent in the Trinamool Congress. He declined to comment further on the future of Mamata Banerjee and the party, suggesting that the less said, the better.
- Sushmita Dev: Dev attributed her decision to switch allegiances primarily to the focus on growth and development. She noted that her departure from the TMC was driven by both personal and political considerations. According to her, she did not wish to remain in a situation where she had to sail on two boats simultaneously. While acknowledging that the reasons behind her exit from the TMC were complex, she opted not to make any personal remarks regarding Mamata Banerjee.
- Prakash Chik Baraik: All three leaders had resigned from their positions within the TMC and their Rajya Sabha seats last month. Following the exits of Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev, Baraik’s resignation served as a further indicator of the deep-seated discontent within the Trinamool ranks. In his resignation letter, he explicitly requested that his departure from the Rajya Sabha be accepted with immediate effect.
