West Bengal: 107 TMC, Congress, CPM MLAs to join BJP
What's the story
In a significant political development, BJP leader Mukul Roy on Saturday made sensational claims that 107 MLAs from West Bengal are set to join the saffron party. He claimed that MLAs from the ruling Trinamool Congress, Congress, and Communist Party (Marxist) will be joining BJP. Roy added BJP has a list of MLAs who are in touch and want to join. Here's more.
Details
The MLAs are in contact with us: Roy
"107 West Bengal MLAs from CPM, Congress, and TMC will join BJP," Roy was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "We have their list prepared and they are in contact with us," the BJP leader added. This comes less than two months after 50-60 Trinamool Councilors and two MLAs of the party joined BJP, in a big blow to WB CM Mamata Banerjee.
Twitter Post
Here's what Roy said at the press conference
Mukul Roy, BJP in Kolkata: 107 West Bengal MLAs from CPM, Congress and TMC will join BJP. We have their list prepared and they are in contact with us pic.twitter.com/SJ48v5WHMW
— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2019
Information
10 Congress MLAs joined BJP in Goa earlier
The political development in West Bengal comes only two days after at least Goa Congress MLAs joined the BJP and amid the political crisis in Karnataka where as many as 16 MLAs from the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs tendered their resignations.
Meeting
Roy earlier met senior TMC leader and MLA Sabyasachi Dutta
Reportedly, Roy earlier met senior TMC leader and MLA Sabyasachi Dutta, who was stripped of his powers as the Mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) last Sunday on the charges of making anti-party remarks. The BJP leader had a detailed discussion with Dutta hours after he was stripped of his powers. Their meeting has, however, sparked speculation of Dutta defecting to the BJP.
Statements
Only time will say whether Dutta will join BJP: Roy
On his meeting with Roy, Dutta earlier said, "Mukul da is just like my elder brother. He is aware of the political developments...he just came to inquire about my well-being and future plans." "Only time will say whether he (Dutta) will join the BJP or not. But being elder brother, I would surely want for his well-being and good," Roy said at the time.
Information
BJP and TMC have been at loggerheads in WB
BJP and TMC have been at loggerheads in West Bengal, especially since the run-up to 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Notably, BJP made deep inroads into the TMC-ruled state, winning 18 of 42 LS seats while TMC won 22, down from its 2014 tally of 34.