In a big setback for Mamata Banerjee, 52 councillors and 3 MLAs in West Bengal have abandoned their parties and joined the BJP.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRBe9ZiaUws]
After the stunning victory registered by Narendra Modi-led NDA which managed to get 354 Lok Sabha constituencies, 3 MLAs in West Bengal have switched sides to join the BJP. The three MLAs who joined the BJP on Tuesday are the TMC’s Shubhranshu Roy (Bijpur), and Tushar Kanti Bhattacharjee (Bishnupur) from Congress and the CPI(M)’s Debendra Nath Roy (Hemtabad). Shubhrangshu Roy was recently suspended for 6 years for demeaning the party. BJP’s Mukul Roy convened a presser to make the declaration.
Mamata Vs Modi Round 2: BJP’s Mukul Roy briefs media at BJP headquarters in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/bY8aaaii3v
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) May 28, 2019
In the presser, Roy declared BJP’s control over 3 municipalities after the councillors joined the BJP. The municipalities are- Kanchrapara, Halisahara and Naihati. The councillors from these municipalities who switched over to BJP are currently in Delhi. Mukul Roy welcomed the councillors and MLAs into the BJP fold. The ex-TMC MLAs chanted “Jai Shri Ram” soon after joining the BJP.
Ruby Chatterjee, TMC councillor from Garifa (West Bengal), ward no 6 says, “20 councillors are here in Delhi. We are not upset with Mamata ji but the recent victory of BJP in Bengal has influenced us to join the party. People are liking BJP as they are working for them.” pic.twitter.com/qpYCCmS4HF
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2019
One of the councillors, Ruby Chatterjee claimed that they aren’t upset with Mamata Banerjee but the recent victory of the BJP has influenced them to join the BJP as they are liking the way they work for the people.
Kailash Vijayvargiya of BJP has declined the allegations of horse trading and instead claimed that the MLAs and the councillors had a change of heart. Kailash further added that this is just the beginning.
The BJP made massive inroads in the state of West Bengal by winning 18 of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. It also increased its vote percentage from 17.5 per cent in 2014 to a stunning 40.5 per cent in the recently concluded General elections.
