A wave of unease has swept through sections of the BJP in West Bengal after three former MPs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) were swiftly nominated to the Rajya Sabha within 24 hours of joining the party.
The induction of Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik under the leadership of state BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya — followed almost immediately by their nomination to the Upper House — has triggered murmurs of discontent among long-time party workers.
The development is being seen as a departure from BJP’s earlier stance against the “Trinamool-isation” of the BJP. However, political observers suggest that the decision to field the three leaders was taken by the party’s central leadership in Delhi.
Amid the growing discomfort within party ranks, state Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh stepped in to defend the move and calm dissent. Ghosh on Sunday emphasised that experience plays a crucial role in parliamentary politics and justified the decision to renominate the leaders.
“They were Rajya Sabha MPs and wish to continue in that role. They have expressed their desire to serve the country under Modi-ji’s leadership. Most importantly, there are no criminal cases against them. There is no need to revisit which party they belonged to earlier; they have been given a fresh opportunity,” he said.
He further reassured party workers that the BJP requires seasoned faces in the Rajya Sabha “Those who are worried need not be. The leadership will take the right call,” Ghosh added.
Roy was the first among the three to resign from the Rajya Sabha, having become increasingly critical of the TMC following the party’s defeat in the 2026 elections. He was subsequently joined by Dev and Baraik, who stepped down in quick succession.
Within a month of their resignations, the three leaders formally joined the BJP at its Salt Lake headquarters last Thursday evening. In a surprise move, the party’s central leadership announced their Rajya Sabha nominations just hours later.
The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled for July 24, and given the current strength of the BJP in the Legislative Assembly, the victory of Roy, Dev, and Baraik is widely considered a foregone conclusion.
Their return to the Upper House marks a significant political shift, as leaders who once represented the TMC will now take their place in Parliament under the BJP banner.
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