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Bengal Politics Set for a Big Shake-Up ? 17 NCP(I) MPs May Join BJP Before Durga Puja
Kolkata : A fresh political storm appears to be brewing in West Bengal after NCP(I) leader and Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia claimed that as many as 17 of the party’s 20 MPs could join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before Durga Puja, potentially triggering a major realignment in the state’s political landscape. According to Basunia, the MPs who had moved from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCP(I)) now want to directly join the BJP, although three minority MPs are expected to stay out of the move because of the demographic composition of their constituencies.
Basunia claimed that MPs Abu Taher and Khalilur Rahman could instead be given separate arrangements and may extend support to the NDA, arguing that joining the BJP directly could create political difficulties for them in their predominantly minority constituencies.
“The BJP had brought us into NCP(I), but we all want to join the BJP,” Basunia was quoted as saying, adding that if everything falls into place, 17 out of 20 MPs could join the BJP ahead of Durga Puja. Meanwhile, Basunia’s return to his home in Sitai, Cooch Behar, under tight police security on Sunday reportedly heightened political tensions in the area, with allegations of vandalism and arson at a TMC office near the Sitai bus stand following his arrival.
A group of local residents and BJP supporters also reportedly protested outside his residence, accusing the MP of having amassed wealth through alleged corruption and misuse of political influence over the past 15 years claims that remain allegations and have not been independently established.
Protesters also objected to Basunia’s political journey, pointing to his earlier association with the Forward Bloc, followed by his move to the TMC and then NCP(I), while alleging that he is now seeking entry into the BJP. They reportedly warned that neither Basunia nor his supporters would be welcomed into the BJP. With accusations, defections and counter-protests adding to the tension, Sitai is witnessing heightened political activity, while Basunia’s claim of a possible mass shift of 17 MPs to the BJP could become a significant development in West Bengal politics if it materialises.
