Three former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MPs—Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik—joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, nearly a month after resigning from the Rajya Sabha and severing ties with the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
The leaders were inducted into the BJP at an event in Kolkata in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, who welcomed them by handing over the party flag.
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Describing the trio as experienced parliamentarians, Bhattacharya said their entry would strengthen the BJP's organisational base in West Bengal and enhance its presence in Parliament.
He accused successive Left Front and TMC governments of pursuing confrontational politics with the Centre, claiming it had hindered the state's development.
Bhattacharya said the three former MPs had chosen to place their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
The development comes ahead of the Rajya Sabha by-elections for the three vacant West Bengal seats, scheduled for July 24, following the Election Commission's announcement earlier this week.
The defections add to the political turmoil within the TMC after its heavy defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.
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The party has also been hit by a rebellion, with more than 60 of its 80 MLAs reportedly breaking away.
Last week, a full Bench of the Election Commission met a rebel TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
The Mamata Banerjee-led camp criticised the meeting, alleging it violated the poll body's procedures by engaging with leaders who were not authorised representatives of the recognised party.
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the Assembly elections, winning 208 seats in the 294-member House, while the TMC was reduced to 80 seats.
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