As many as 17 of the 20 Trinamool Congress-turned-Nationalist Citizens’ Party of India (NCPI) Lok Sabha MPs from West Bengal are set to join the BJP directly next month, Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia claimed on Monday.
Basunia, one of the prominent members of the NCPI MPs’ camp, said the 17 MPs would join the BJP before or around the time of the forthcoming Durga Puja.
However, three MPs in the group — Abu Taher Khan of Murshidabad, Yusuf Pathan of Baharampur and Khalilur Rahman of Jangipur do not want to join the BJP directly, he said.
All three represent constituencies in West Bengal’s minority-dominated Murshidabad district.
Three MPs to remain with NDA
According to Basunia, the three MPs will continue to remain part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) despite not formally joining the BJP.
“However, despite not joining the BJP directly, the three MPs from Murshidabad district will continue to be part of the National Democratic Alliance. The remaining 17 of us will be joining the BJP directly next month before the forthcoming Durga Puja,” Basunia said on Monday.
He attributed the decision of the three Muslim MPs to the practical difficulties they could face by directly joining the BJP while representing minority-dominated constituencies.
“They are elected representatives from minority-dominated constituencies. So naturally, there are some problems for them in directly joining the BJP. But they will continue to be with the NDA,” Basunia said.
He added that the remaining 17 MPs would move from the NCPI to the BJP.
Basunia cites anti-defection law
Basunia also claimed that the proposed move would not attract the anti-defection law, citing the number of MPs involved.
“The required number was 14 for two-thirds of the total MPs. But we have three more. So, we will not come under the anti-defection law,” he said.
He added that the MPs’ formal joining could take place “before or just after the Durga Puja”.
How the 20 MPs moved from TMC to NCPI
The political developments follow the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, which saw the Trinamool Congress suffer a landslide defeat.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Trinamool Congress had won 28 of West Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats.
Following the 2026 Assembly polls, the 20 Trinamool Congress MPs joined the NCPI and also became part of the NDA.
The MPs have already approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as NCPI members.
However, that recognition has not yet been granted. According to Lok Sabha records, the 20 MPs continue to be listed as Trinamool Congress members.
BJP switch claim adds to Bengal political churn
Basunia’s latest claim has added another twist to the political developments surrounding the 20 MPs.
With their status in the Lok Sabha records yet to change, the proposed direct entry of 17 MPs into the BJP could have significant political implications in West Bengal.
For now, however, the claim remains that of Basunia, while the Lok Sabha records continue to identify the 20 MPs as Trinamool Congress members.
(with IANS inputs)
