- Three former TMC MPs joined BJP and were nominated for Rajya Sabha bypolls on July 24
- One more TMC MP has resigned and two others may switch to BJP soon, sources revealed
- BJP’s strategy involves resignations and re-elections to weaken TMC in Rajya Sabha
Weeks after resigning from Rajya Sabha, three former Trinamool Congress MPs are set to enter the Upper House, but wearing different colours.
Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy and Prakash Chik Baraik, who recently quit the Mamata Banerjee's party and their Rajya Sabha seats, on Thursday formally joined the BJP. Within hours, the BJP nominated them as its candidates for the bypolls to the three seats vacated by the same leaders. The election to these seats will take place on July 24.
Sources have told NDTV that BJP's mission to break the Trinamool Congress is far from over. One more MP, Rukmini Mallick, has also sent her resignation to the Rajya Sabha Chairman via email and will soon meet the chairman in person to hand over her resignation. Of the remaining nine TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, sources say, two more may switch to the BJP in the near future.
'Bhalo' Trinamool Leaders
This entry of the former Trinamool leaders into the BJP goes against the party's public pronouncements that it would not induct TMC leaders as they face allegations of corruption and goondaism.
However, on Tuesday, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya called it an "exception" while inducting Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik into the BJP.
He had earlier also propounded the theory of "good TMC and bad TMC", under which there would be no hesitation in taking along "bhalo" (good) TMC leaders.
Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Prakash Chik Baraik joined the BJP on Thursday
The Rajya Sabha Math
Before the split, TMC had 13 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. A split and merge with the BJP or any other party, requires 9 MPs. Since that number could not be managed, the BJP has adopted a strategy of getting MPs to resign and then fielding them on its symbol to send them back to the House. The strategy weakens the Trinamool while shoring up BJP's numbers in the Rajya Sabha.
After July 24, the BJP's strength in the Rajya Sabha will go up to 117, which will be its highest ever. The BJP will now be just six short of a simple majority of 123 on its own.
Add seven nominated and three Independents - Parimal Nathwani, Kartikeya Sharma and Dilip Ray - and the BJP crosses the simple majority mark to reach 127. Along with allies, it gets closer to the the two-thirds majority mark of 164.
BJP allies have 26 Mps. Among them TDP, AIADMK, JDU and NCP have four members each, Shiv Sena and UPPL have two each, and RPI(A), AGP, MNF, NPP, RLM and Janasena Party have one each.
The NDA tally has reached 153, just 11 short of the two-thirds mark.
Lok Sabha Split Plan
The BJP worked on a separate strategy to split the TMC in the Lok Sabha. Under this, 20 out of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs have broken away and decided to merge with an obscure party, NCPI, and extend support to the NDA. Now the Speaker has to approve the merger.
While NDA has gained strength in the Lok Sabha, it will still remain short of the two-thirds mark.
Fight On Two Fronts For Mamata
Different strategies are at play from Delhi to Kolkata to wrest the TMC from Mamata Banerjee. In Kolkata, more than 60 MLAs have broken away under the leadership of Ritabrata Banerjee. The Assembly Speaker has recognised Ritabrata as the Leader of Opposition. This faction now claims to be the "real TMC" and has staked claim before the Election Commission. The Commission may soon announce its decision on the election symbol.
Mamata Banerjee now has to fight a legal battle on two fronts. First, in Kolkata, to prove that her faction is the real TMC. And second in Delhi, to prove that the 20 rebel MPs cannot break away and should be disqualified. A letter to this effect has been submitted to the Speaker. It questions the merger of 20 MPs with NCPI and demands that they be disqualified.
