A major political development may be on the horizon in West Bengal, with rebel leader and Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia claiming that 17 of the 20 Members of Parliament currently associated with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) are preparing to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking to reporters on Monday, September 14, Basunia said the MPs have decided to switch parties together either before or after the Durga Puja festival in October. He argued that since more than two-thirds of the parliamentary group would be moving collectively, their decision would not attract disqualification under the anti-defection law.
The political developments follow the events of June 14, when 20 dissident Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs announced their merger with the relatively lesser-known NCPI and extended support to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Under the anti-defection provisions, at least 14 of the 20 MPs are required to move together to qualify for protection from disqualification. Basunia, however, stated that three MPs from the minority community—Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahaman and Yusuf Pathan—are unlikely to formally join the BJP because of political and administrative considerations in their respective constituencies. He claimed that they would instead continue to support the NDA from outside and could be entrusted with important responsibilities in the future.
The announcement comes amid growing political tensions in West Bengal. Basunia and his wife, TMC MLA Sangeeta Roy, recently faced protests upon returning to their ancestral home in Sitai, Cooch Behar, following their political shift. Demonstrations by local residents and BJP workers were reported, while a TMC office near Basunia’s residence was allegedly set on fire during the unrest. Despite the controversy, Basunia has reiterated that he is no longer associated with the Trinamool Congress and is now aligned with the NDA, while the BJP and TMC have not officially responded to his latest claims regarding the proposed induction of the rebel MPs.
