The Trinamool Congress has warned those joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that they will have to “face the consequences” even though they have the backing of the BJP. Since the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results, several TMC MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives have switched sides to the BJP. And the scale of these defections reflect the BJP’s intentions to decimate the TMC in the civic bodies elections scheduled for next year. The results to these elections, many believe, would set the tone of the bigger battle in 2021. The reason behind Mamata’s apparent frustration and tactics of intimidation are quite obvious.

In the last 48 hours, more than 8,000 workers from TMC have joined the saffron party in Karimpur in the presence of BJP General Secretary Sanjay Singh. Adding to Mamata’s woes is former TMC MLA from South Dinajpur Biplab Mitra who joined the saffron party along with 14 Zilla Parishad members today. Adding insult to injury was Alipurduar Kalchini MLA Wilson Champramary who also joined the saffron party today along with 18 councillors.

ALSO READ | West Bengal: BJP ups ante against Mamata Banerjee, gheraos SP offices across state over deteriorating law and order

Ahead of the general election, the then TMC MP Soumitra Khan and Anupam Hazra joined the BJP in the national capital. Interestingly, since the conclusion of the poll, there has been a horde of TMC leaders and other functionaries switching sides to join the BJP.

Biplab Mitra joins BJP (Image: By arrangement)

Last month, TMC’s Bijpur MLA Shubranshu Roy, Manirul Islam and others joined the saffron party in presence of Kailash Vijayavargiya and Mukul Roy at the party’s national headquarters. These defections allowed the BJP to successfully take control over four municipalities – Garulia, Kanchrapara, Halisahara and Naihati after the councillors join hands with the saffron party.

In a statement released on Sunday, the TMC said, “Few members from panchayats and municipalities have joined the BJP because of their ulterior motives and selfish vested interests. They have done this with the hope that their misdeeds and crimes will be washed away. They are mistaken. If there has been wrongdoing on anyone’s part, they will have to face the consequences even though they have the backing of the BJP.”

The Banerjee-led party also claimed that 99.99 per cent of TMC leaders are honest and hardworking. “Some from different political parties are sullying the name of the party by indulging in corruption and unfair practices. They will be dealt with severely,” a party statement read.

Last week, speaking at a conference of party members, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had called the defectors corrupt and greedy. She also asked those willing to join the BJP to leave TMC at the earliest. In a stern message to party workers on June 18, 2019, Banerjee asked them to return “cut money” (a reference to a percentage of funds given as bribe from government allocated funds for development work) they have received so far or they would be put behind bars.

Soon after her announcement, elected representatives of the ruling party at the panchayat and municipal levels faced public fury in several districts such as Burdwan, Malda, Nadia, Purulia, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar, Birbhum, Bankura and West Midnapore. The decision has been taken keeping in mind the impending civic bodies’ polls scheduled to be held next year.