Three former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha members officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on June 20, 2026 [1].
This shift represents a significant blow to the TMC's internal stability in West Bengal. The defection of high-profile legislators suggests growing friction within the ruling party and a strengthening of the BJP's organizational presence in the region.
Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik, and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy joined the party at the BJP office in Salt Lake, Kolkata [1]. They were welcomed by West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya. The move comes amid an internal crisis within the TMC, with the defecting members saying that the BJP better reflects their current political stance [2].
The transition has sparked a sharp reaction from their former colleagues. On June 16, Saugata Roy of the TMC said the defecting members were "a team of traitors" [2].
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw commented on the political climate in the state following the move. He said, "Heavy resentment against TMC in Bengal, public has given answer" [3].
While some reports indicate the members joined the BJP [1], other accounts suggest the defectors merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) [2]. However, the ceremony at the Salt Lake office was organized by the BJP leadership.
“"a team of traitors"”
The defection of three Rajya Sabha members indicates a strategic realignment in West Bengal's volatile political landscape. By absorbing former TMC leaders, the BJP is attempting to erode the ruling party's grassroots support and project an image of inevitable momentum ahead of future electoral cycles.
