17 NCPI MPs to join BJP before or after Durga Puja: Rebel TMC Parliamentarian - Telegraph India

**Bengal’s political landscape roiled as rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia announced that 17 of the 20 members of the North Coast People’s Alliance (NCPI) are poised to cross over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) either before or shortly after the Durga Puja festivities. Basunia, who has been at odds with TMC leadership over local development issues, made the claim in a televised interview, saying the defections would “strengthen the BJP’s foothold in the north‑eastern districts and ensure a stable government for the people.” He added that the timing was deliberately chosen to coincide with the high‑visibility period of the Durga Puja, when political realignments tend to draw maximum public attention.

The assertion triggered swift denials from both sides of the aisle. The BJP’s state unit dismissed the numbers as “speculative” and stressed that no formal applications had been received, while the TMC leadership labeled Basunia’s statements as “political theatrics” designed to create panic among party cadres. The Hindu reported that other rebel TMC legislators, who have been courting the BJP, neither confirmed nor rejected the alleged mass switch, leaving the claim in a state of uncertainty. Meanwhile, the NCPI itself issued a brief statement urging its members to “respect due process” and refrain from making hasty decisions that could destabilise the region’s political equilibrium.

The controversy spilled onto the streets of Sitai, where Basunia and fellow rebel MLA Sangeeta Roy faced a hostile reception on their return. Protesters shouted slogans, brandished placards, and even pelted the politicians with discarded flip‑flops, symbolising public anger at perceived opportunism. The New Indian Express and Telegraph India chronicled the scenes, noting that the protests reflected broader voter fatigue with frequent party‑hopping and heightened anxiety ahead of the festive season. As the Durga Puja celebrations approach, analysts suggest that the episode may either cement the BJP’s inroads in West Bengal’s border districts or backfire, reinforcing TMC’s narrative of defending regional interests against “outsider” politics.