Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Mar 10: The BJP suffered another setback in West Bengal as its Haldia (SC) MLA, Tapasi Mondal, switched allegiance to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday. This defection further reduces the BJP’s strength in the state Assembly to 65, down from its 2021 tally of 77 seats.

Mondal, who had arrived in Kolkata to attend the Budget session, made a surprise move by leaving the Assembly premises and heading straight to Trinamool Bhavan, the ruling party’s state headquarters. She was formally inducted into the TMC by senior party leader and Power Minister Arup Biswas, who welcomed her with the party flag.

Explaining her decision to quit the BJP, Mondal accused the party of promoting “divisive politics” and expressed her desire to align with the developmental policies of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She emphasized that she believed in "unity over division" and wanted to contribute to West Bengal’s progress under the Trinamool government.

Mondal’s political journey began with the CPI-M, where she served as a councillor in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections, she joined the BJP with the backing of Suvendu Adhikari, who played a key role in her induction. That year, she successfully contested from Haldia (SC) as a BJP candidate. However, just a year before the crucial 2026 Assembly polls, she has decided to return to the ruling party’s fold.

Her defection boosts TMC’s strength in the 294-member Assembly to 228 seats, further consolidating its dominance. The BJP now holds 65 seats, while the All India Secular Front (AISF) retains a single seat. The Congress and the CPI-M-led Left Front remain without representation in the state legislature.

With Mondal’s switch, the BJP continues to struggle with internal cracks, raising concerns ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2026 Assembly polls. The Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, continues to strengthen its hold over West Bengal’s political landscape.