TOUGH FOR BJP TURNCOATS TO MAKE A MARK IN TMC

'Unlike the others, Babul Surpriyo is being rewarded within the party because of his close proximity to Abhishek Banerjee'.

- DIBYENDU MONDAL

Following the victory of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the 2021 Vidhan Sabha elections in West Bengal, about a dozen prominent BJP leaders from Bengal had made a beeline to join the ruling party that came back to power for the third time in the state, but most of these BJP leaders who decided to jump ship towards power have found themselves alienated within the TMC, while some have been rewarded for shifting their loyalty towards Mamata Banerjee.

Some of the prominent BJP leaders who made the switch towards TMC from Bengal in the last one-anda-half years include former BJP national vice president Mukul Roy, former Union Minister Babul Supriyo, BJP MP Arjun Singh, BJP's MLA candidate Rajib Banerjee, Sabyasachi Dutta, and at least six MLAs who had won on a BJP ticket, but switched over to the TMC soon after the BJP lost the Assembly  elections last year.

Among most of the leaders who switched to the TMC following the 2021 Assembly election results were turncoats from the TMC who joined the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections in the state with a hope that the BJP would be coming to power in Bengal and they would "continue" to enjoy power in state politics.