TMC MLAs join BJP: In a fresh jolt for Mamata Banerjee after Lok Sabha election result 2019, over 50 Trinamool Congress councilors and two MLAs – Subhrangshu Roy and Tushar Gandhi Bhattacharya joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Tuesday.  Apart from them, CPI (M) MLA Devendra Roy also jumped the ship. Mukul Roy, who left the TMC in 2017, accompanied the leaders to Delhi from Kolkata.

“Three MLAs and 50-60 Councillors are joining BJP today. Such joinings will continue in future also,” BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told reporters. “Like the elections were held in seven phases in West Bengal, joinings in BJP will also happen in seven phases. Today was just the first phase,” Vijayvargiya added.

The move by Bengal leaders come less than a week after the BJP’s stunning show in the state in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections. While Mamata’s TMC won 22 seats, the BJP managed to outclass other parties on 18 seats in Bengal. This is the BJP’s best Lok Sabha performance in the state so far.

Earlier this week, the Trinamool Congress had suspended Subhrangshu Roy, son of Mukul Roy, for six years over the charges of anti-party activities. “Now, I will breath freely. Many in the TMC feel suffocated,” Subhrangshu had said over reports of TMC sacking him from the party.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a stunning claim during one of his numerous election rallies in Bengal that 40 TMC MLAs were in touch with him and would switch sides once the BJP wins the election.

“Didi, even your MLAs will desert you when the results of this election are out. Your 40 MLAs are in touch with me and all your MLAs will desert you once the BJP wins the election. Political ground has slipped from under your feet,” PM Modi had said at an election rally in Sreerampur Lok Sabha seat in Hoogly district.

TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien hit back at the PM alleging that he was indulging in horse trading.

“Expiry Babu PM, lets get this straight. Nobody will go with you. Not even one councilor. Are you election campaigning or horse trading! Your expiry date is near. Today, we are complaining to the Election Commission. Charging you with horse trading,” O’Brien had tweeted.