Ex-TMC Leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Prakash Chik Baraik Named BJP Candidates for Rajya Sabha Bypolls

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik (L-R)

NEW DELHI: Hours after formally joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik were on Thursday named as the BJP's candidates for the upcoming bypoll elections. The announcement came shortly after the three leaders were inducted into the BJP at the party's Salt Lake office in Kolkata in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and other senior leaders. All three leaders had resigned from the Rajya Sabha and quit the TMC last month amid growing internal rebellion within the Mamata Banerjee-led party. They will now contest the bypolls to the Rajya Sabha seats that fell vacant following their resignations. The BJP said the three former parliamentarians would strengthen the party's presence in West Bengal with their political experience. Their induction and immediate nomination come at a time when the TMC is facing one of its biggest internal crises following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections. The political turmoil began after a large group of MLAs broke away under the leadership of expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee. Several MPs later backed the rival faction, with rebel lawmakers seeking separate seating arrangements in Parliament and holding meetings with senior BJP leaders, fuelling speculation of more defections. Sushmita Dev had earlier said she left the TMC for both political and personal reasons. "It is a long story why I left TMC. I don't want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. I will not comment on Mamata Didi," she had said. She added, "I had political and personal reasons to do this. In an independent country, a politician can take any decision in their political life. I express gratitude towards the people of Bengal, but I have to work in Assam." Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who was among the first senior TMC leaders to resign, had blamed the party's electoral defeat on years of poor governance and said it had become difficult for him to continue. Prakash Chik Baraik also resigned from the Rajya Sabha soon after Dev and Ray, further deepening concerns over dissent within the TMC. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has accused the rebel faction of betraying the party. "People shouldn't forgive TMC leaders who are traitors, sided with BJP; don't try to sail on two boats, there's still time to look back and address barbarity," she said in a video message.