In touch with 38 TMC MLAs, claims BJP's Mithun Chakraborty
What's the story
West Bengal BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty has claimed that the party is in touch with 38 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs. He said that about a dozen MLAs share good relations with the BJP, the main opposition party in the state. His comment comes only a few weeks after a political turmoil shook the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Will West Bengal become the next Maharashtra?
Context
Why does this story matter?
Maharashtra witnessed a political shocker in June, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition toppling former Chief Minister Thackeray resigning from his post. A rebellion in Shiv Sena led to the party splitting into two halves, with both camps now seeking legitimacy from the Election Commission of India (ECI). West Bengal is one of the few states ruled by an opposition party (TMC).
West Bengal
Chakrabarty's 'breaking news'
Speaking to the press in Kolkata, the actor-turned-politician claimed that 38 TMC MLAs have good terms with the BJP, and 21 of them are in direct contact. "Do you want to hear breaking news? 38 TMC MLAs have very good relations with us," Chakraborty said. The saffron party leader added that "BJP's flag will fly high in other states very soon."
Twitter Post
What exactly did Mithun Chakraborty say?
#WATCH | West Bengal: Do you want to hear breaking news? At this moment, 38 TMC MLAs have very good relations with us, out of which 21 are in direct (contact with us): BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/1AI7kB4H5I
— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2022
Reaction
False claims, says Trinamool
Reacting to Chakraborty's statement, TMC MP Santanu Sen said that the actor is making false claims to fool citizens which have "no relation with the reality." Chakraborty was nominated as a Rajya Sabha member in 2014, but quit two years later. This comes at a point when TMC cadre is reportedly divided over minister Partha Chatterjee's arrest by the ED.
Another Maharashtra
Maharashtra spin in West Bengal?
As mentioned, the actor's comments follow Maharashtra's political turmoil. A rebellion by senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde led to a split in the party and the Thackeray government being forced out of power. The two-week storm long saw 40 Sena MLAs taking refuge in hotels in BJP-governed states. Soon after, Shinde became the new Chief Minister, and BJP's Devendra Fadnavis became his deputy.
Information
What is the seat-share in West Bengal assembly?
The TMC currently has 216 MLAs in the 294-member assembly. As the main opposition party, BJP has 75 legislators, a number much higher than its previous count of 3 seats. During the 2021 assembly elections, several TMC leaders joined the BJP. This included senior leader Suvendu Adhikari, who returned to the TMC after its electoral victory.