TMC MPs Arjun Singh, Dibyendu Adhikari join BJP
What's the story
In a huge setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), MPs Arjun Singh and Dibyendu Adhikari have crossed sides and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Arun represents West Bengal's Barrackpur in the Lok Sabha and Dibyendu in the Tamluk constituency. To recall, Arun had joined the BJP in 2019 after quitting the TMC. He returned to the TMC again in 2022, while remaining a BJP MP on Parliament record.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Since the TMC announced its 42 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, there has been a wave of internal conflict within the party. First, Sayantika Banerjee, Trinamool's state general secretary and actress-turned-politician, resigned from her position. Following this, senior MLA Tapas Roy joined the BJP. As many as seven sitting MPs were dropped by the TMC in West Bengal.
Details
Dibyendu is younger brother of LoP Suvendu Adhikari
Dibyendu is the brother of senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who joined the saffron party in 2021. He was dubbed a "giant killer" for defeating West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram constituency during the 2021 legislative elections. Arun, on the other hand, announced his departure from the TMC just days after being withdrawn from the Banerjee-led party's Lok Sabha candidate list.
Statement
Arjun Singh returns to BJP after expressing dissatisfaction with TMC
"When I joined the Trinamool...in 2022, I was promised that I would be re-nominated as the TMC's candidate from the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat. But the party did not keep its promise and betrayed me... I have decided to return to the BJP," Arun said. After joining the BJP on Friday, he brought up the Sandeskhali violence to target the TMC, claiming that it just wants to stay in power with the help of the police and goons.
Twitter Post
The MPs joined BJP at its headquarters in Delhi
#WATCH | Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh and TMC's Tamluk MP Dibyendu Adhikari join the BJP, in Delhi.
— ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2024
Arjun Singh quit the TMC and rejoined the BJP today. Dibyendu Adhikari, who is also the brother of West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari, quit TMC today. pic.twitter.com/anU42p59u7
Numbers
Opinion poll says BJP will win in Bengal
Amid the exodus of TMC leaders, a News18 Mega Opinion Poll projected that the BJP would win 25 out of 42 seats in the state. The TMC will manage to win 17 seats, while other parties, such as Congress and CPI (M), will be unable to create their accounts, the opinion poll added. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the TMC won 22 seats and the BJP won 18. The Congress won the remaining two seats.