Seventeen of the 20 Lok Sabha MPs belonging to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) are likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) around the Durga Puja period, rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia claimed on Monday.
Basunia said the decision had already been finalised and that the 17 MPs would move to the BJP together. According to him, the group has enough members to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.
“We are 17 MPs who are going to the BJP together. Since more than two-thirds of the 20 members will be switching, the anti-defection law will not apply to us,” Basunia told reporters.
If the claim materialises, the BJP’s strength in the Lok Sabha would increase from 240 to 257 MPs, based on its tally from the 2024 general election.
Three MPs reject claim of NDA support
Basunia also claimed that the remaining three NCPI MPs — Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahaman and Yusuf Pathan — would provide outside support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
However, Taher rejected the claim. He said he, Rahaman and Pathan had not taken any decision to support either the BJP or the NDA.
“We will not go to the BJP. We will not go to the NDA. This is clear,” Taher said.
TMC rebel MP Satabdi Roy also distanced herself from Basunia’s statement, saying that the Cooch Behar MP had made the announcement in his personal capacity.
Bengal BJP distances itself from announcement
The BJP’s West Bengal leadership has also denied having knowledge of any such plan.
State BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said the party would not accept anyone simply because they wanted to join. BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said he was unaware of any NCPI or TMC MPs joining the BJP.
Sarkar also said people in West Bengal had not forgotten the alleged atrocities committed during the TMC government’s tenure.
TMC rebels face disqualification challenge
The controversy comes months after 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs left the party and joined the NCPI, while extending support to the NDA. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of orchestrating the rebellion.
The TMC has approached the Supreme Court seeking the disqualification of the rebel MPs. The Supreme Court has since issued notice to the 20 MPs in connection with the petition.
For now, Basunia’s claim about 17 MPs joining the BJP has not been confirmed by either the BJP or the other MPs named in the announcement.
