Former TMC MPs Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy join BJP

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MPs Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata on Thursday, weeks after resigning from both the Upper House and the TMC. The induction, held at the BJP's Salt Lake office, comes amid growing political challenges for the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

BJP welcomes former TMC MPs

The three leaders joined the BJP in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, who said they had placed their faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Welcoming the leaders, Bhattacharya criticised the governance of successive governments in West Bengal and said, "For 34 years, there was the rule of the Left Front, followed by that of the Trinamool Congress. The politics practised in West Bengal for so long defied and rejected our federal structure; instead of cooperating with the Centre, a path of confrontation was adopted, causing all development to stall. Against this backdrop, and placing their faith in the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, three Members of Parliament resigned from the Trinamool Congress. Today, these three--Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy--have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. These three MPs are stalwarts whose performance in the Rajya Sabha is well-known to everyone."

He further added, "This is a joyous occasion for us, and the entire BJP is delighted. On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and as its state President, I--along with our workers, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, the entire cabinet, and our whole organisation--welcome these three individuals wholeheartedly and with great happiness."

Leaders had cited different reasons for quitting TMC

The development follows the resignation of all three leaders from the Rajya Sabha and the Trinamool Congress in recent weeks.

Prakash Chik Baraik had said his decision to resign came after "accepting the opinion of the people" of West Bengal. When asked about his political future before joining the BJP, he had said, "Time will tell," adding that he would reveal his future course at an appropriate time.

He had also clarified that he held no personal grievance against TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and would wait for the appropriate time before announcing his future political plans.

Sushmita Dev, who resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and the TMC last month, had said she wanted to work in Assam, adding that her decision was driven by both political and personal reasons.

Meanwhile, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy had alleged that the TMC government was marked by "widespread unbridled corruption, atrocities committed against women, abysmal failure in the field of health, education, industry, law and order, and employment."

Fresh setback for Trinamool Congress

The induction of the three former Rajya Sabha MPs is being seen as another setback for the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which has recently witnessed signs of internal dissent in both the West Bengal Assembly and Parliament.

(With inputs from ANI)