<p>As West Bengal heads towards rural polls, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh has stirred regional politics by claiming that as many as 13 MLAs, and around six MPs, are eager to switch allegiance from the BJP to the Trinamool. </p>.<p>The BJP’s initial count of 77 MLAs in the 2021 assembly elections, unofficially, now stands at 69. Of the 77, two seats were vacated after victory, as the candidates who were also MPs, continued as parliamentarians. In the following by-election these seats went to Trinamool. </p>.<p>The BJP, however, claims its strength is intact. The elections had taken place in 292 of the 294 seats in March-April, 2021. </p>.<p>Ghosh has further claimed that a final call will be taken by party chief Mamata Banerjee, and Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the party. Till a decision is reached, he claimed, they have been asked to stay in the BJP, attend meetings, and keep updating.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/congress-calls-bjp-trinamool-outsiders-in-meghalaya-as-it-struggles-ahead-of-assembly-polls-1187096.html" target="_blank">Congress calls BJP, Trinamool 'outsiders' in Meghalaya as it struggles ahead of Assembly polls</a></strong></p>.<p>The latest shocker to the Opposition party in Bengal is the meeting of its Alipurduar MLA Suman Kanjilal with (Abhishek) Banerjee. “... Suman Kanjilal joined the AITC family today, in the presence of our national general secretary…,” the Trinamool shared on Twitter, with the photographs, after the meeting held on Sunday.</p>.<p>A month after declaration of result in 2021, Mukul Roy, BJP’s national vice president, was seen in Trinamool party office being felicitated in presence of the chief minister. Officially, he remains a BJP MLA. Thereafter, four more MLAs were seen changing allegiance, Kanjilal being the sixth one. Of the six, the first five were formerly with the Trinamool and had gone to the BJP.</p>.<p>In a tweet, Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition in state assembly, posted visuals of Kanjilal’s meeting last Sunday and asked whether he would accept having joined Trinamool, and having quit the BJP, inside the Assembly. </p>.<p>“Are you scared of the 10th Schedule of the India Constitution (anti-defection law)? Not handing over (the) TMC flag?” he mentioned, posting a photograph that had Kanjilal, and (Abhishek) Banerjee. Adhikari has said that BJP’s number of 75 MLAs is intact.</p>
<p>As West Bengal heads towards rural polls, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh has stirred regional politics by claiming that as many as 13 MLAs, and around six MPs, are eager to switch allegiance from the BJP to the Trinamool. </p>.<p>The BJP’s initial count of 77 MLAs in the 2021 assembly elections, unofficially, now stands at 69. Of the 77, two seats were vacated after victory, as the candidates who were also MPs, continued as parliamentarians. In the following by-election these seats went to Trinamool. </p>.<p>The BJP, however, claims its strength is intact. The elections had taken place in 292 of the 294 seats in March-April, 2021. </p>.<p>Ghosh has further claimed that a final call will be taken by party chief Mamata Banerjee, and Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the party. Till a decision is reached, he claimed, they have been asked to stay in the BJP, attend meetings, and keep updating.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/congress-calls-bjp-trinamool-outsiders-in-meghalaya-as-it-struggles-ahead-of-assembly-polls-1187096.html" target="_blank">Congress calls BJP, Trinamool 'outsiders' in Meghalaya as it struggles ahead of Assembly polls</a></strong></p>.<p>The latest shocker to the Opposition party in Bengal is the meeting of its Alipurduar MLA Suman Kanjilal with (Abhishek) Banerjee. “... Suman Kanjilal joined the AITC family today, in the presence of our national general secretary…,” the Trinamool shared on Twitter, with the photographs, after the meeting held on Sunday.</p>.<p>A month after declaration of result in 2021, Mukul Roy, BJP’s national vice president, was seen in Trinamool party office being felicitated in presence of the chief minister. Officially, he remains a BJP MLA. Thereafter, four more MLAs were seen changing allegiance, Kanjilal being the sixth one. Of the six, the first five were formerly with the Trinamool and had gone to the BJP.</p>.<p>In a tweet, Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition in state assembly, posted visuals of Kanjilal’s meeting last Sunday and asked whether he would accept having joined Trinamool, and having quit the BJP, inside the Assembly. </p>.<p>“Are you scared of the 10th Schedule of the India Constitution (anti-defection law)? Not handing over (the) TMC flag?” he mentioned, posting a photograph that had Kanjilal, and (Abhishek) Banerjee. Adhikari has said that BJP’s number of 75 MLAs is intact.</p>
