NEW DELHI: Hours after formally becoming a member of the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik had been on Thursday named because the BJP’s candidates for the upcoming bypoll elections.The announcement got here shortly after the three leaders had been inducted into the BJP on the celebration’s Salt Lake workplace in Kolkata within the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and different senior leaders.All three leaders had resigned from the Rajya Sabha and give up the TMC final month amid rising inner riot inside the Mamata Banerjee-led celebration. They are going to now contest the bypolls to the Rajya Sabha seats that fell vacant following their resignations.The BJP stated the three former parliamentarians would strengthen the celebration’s presence in West Bengal with their political expertise.Their induction and quick nomination come at a time when the TMC is dealing with one among its greatest inner crises following its defeat within the West Bengal meeting elections.The political turmoil started after a big group of MLAs broke away underneath the management of expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. A number of MPs later backed the rival faction, with insurgent lawmakers searching for separate seating preparations in Parliament and holding conferences with senior BJP leaders, fuelling hypothesis of extra defections.Sushmita Dev had earlier stated she left the TMC for each political and private causes.“It’s a lengthy story why I left TMC. I do not wish to be in a scenario the place I’m in two boats on the identical time. I can’t touch upon Mamata Didi,” she had stated.She added, “I had political and private causes to do that. In an impartial nation, a politician can take any choice of their political life. I categorical gratitude in the direction of the folks of Bengal, however I’ve to work in Assam.”Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who was among the many first senior TMC leaders to resign, had blamed the celebration’s electoral defeat on years of poor governance and stated it had change into tough for him to proceed.Prakash Chik Baraik additionally resigned from the Rajya Sabha quickly after Dev and Ray, additional deepening considerations over dissent inside the TMC.In the meantime, Mamata Banerjee has accused the insurgent faction of betraying the celebration.“Individuals should not forgive TMC leaders who’re traitors, sided with BJP; do not attempt to sail on two boats, there’s nonetheless time to look again and handle barbarity,” she stated in a video message.
