<p>Former Tripura governor and senior BJP leader Tathagata Roy has criticised his own party for giving Rajya Sabha positions to former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders instead of long-time BJP workers. Roy raised the issue in a post on X on Sunday evening.</p><h2><strong>What Tathagata Roy said</strong></h2><p>Roy named Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Koel Mallick, Prakash Chik Baraik and Susmita Dev, describing them as Trinamool members 'till yesterday'. He tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin and West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya in his post. Writing from the US, where he said he is ‘completely retired’, Roy said BJP workers in Bengal had suffered heavily at the hands of Trinamool supporters. He argued that ignoring their concerns would be ‘very unwise’ on the part of the party's central leadership. Roy said he was speaking as a Swayamsevak with more than 35 years of association with the Sangh and the BJP.</p><h2><strong>Who is Tathagata Roy?</strong></h2><p>Born in 1945, Tathagata Roy is an engineer and former governor who founded the construction engineering department at Jadavpur University. He joined the BJP in 1990 and served as the party's West Bengal president from 2002 to 2006. In 2015, he was appointed governor of Tripura. Roy is also the elder brother of TMC MP Saugata Roy.</p><h2><strong>BJP responds to Tathagata Roy</strong></h2><p>On Monday, West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said the party would not induct ‘tainted’ TMC leaders and asserted that 'Trinamoolisation of BJP will never happen'. Referring to the induction of Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, Bhattacharya said they were brought into the party because the BJP had taken the decision to induct them. He again stressed that there would be no ‘Trinamoolisation’ of the BJP.</p><h2><strong>Background: Former TMC leaders join BJP</strong></h2><p>The four leaders were TMC Rajya Sabha members who left the party after it lost the May Assembly elections. Three of them, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, resigned from the Rajya Sabha in June, joined the BJP on July 9 and were subsequently re-elected unopposed on BJP tickets. Koel Mallick, the daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, had served as a TMC Rajya Sabha MP from April 6 to July 16. She joined the BJP on Monday, a day after being nominated for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat, and filed her nomination papers at the Assembly.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Explaining her decision, Mallick said, “The way development work has begun in West Bengal over the last few months, I am happy as a citizen,” She said she had entered politics with the intention of working for the people and added that she had never spoken ill of anyone and would not start doing so now.</p><h2><strong>TMC reacts</strong></h2><p>The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction criticised Mallick's decision, saying she had not done justice to the party's prestige. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh also attacked the former TMC leaders who have moved to the BJP. He said that when Mamata Banerjee was Chief Minister, ‘they lived Trinamool’, and alleged that they were now leaning towards the BJP because it was in power. Ghosh further claimed that Mamata Banerjee had brought Koel Mallick and her father Ranjit Mallick into politics.</p>

Tathagata Roy attacks BJP over former TMC leaders getting Rajya Sabha seats as Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya rejects 'Trinamoolisation' claims

Former Tripura governor and senior BJP leader Tathagata Roy has criticised his own party for giving Rajya Sabha positions to former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders instead of long-time BJP workers. Roy raised the issue in a post on X on Sunday evening. What Tathagata Roy said Roy named Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Koel Mallick, Prakash Chik Baraik and Susmita Dev, describing them as Trinamool members 'till yesterday'. He tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin and West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya in his post. Writing from the US, where he said he is ‘completely retired’, Roy said BJP workers in Bengal had suffered heavily at the hands of Trinamool supporters. He argued that ignoring their concerns would be ‘very unwise’ on the part of the party's central leadership. Roy said he was speaking as a Swayamsevak with more than 35 years of association with the Sangh and the BJP. Who is Tathagata Roy? Born in 1945, Tathagata Roy is an engineer and former governor who founded the construction engineering department at Jadavpur University. He joined the BJP in 1990 and served as the party's West Bengal president from 2002 to 2006. In 2015, he was appointed governor of Tripura. Roy is also the elder brother of TMC MP Saugata Roy. BJP responds to Tathagata Roy On Monday, West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said the party would not induct ‘tainted’ TMC leaders and asserted that 'Trinamoolisation of BJP will never happen'. Referring to the induction of Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, Bhattacharya said they were brought into the party because the BJP had taken the decision to induct them. He again stressed that there would be no ‘Trinamoolisation’ of the BJP. Background: Former TMC leaders join BJP The four leaders were TMC Rajya Sabha members who left the party after it lost the May Assembly elections. Three of them, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, resigned from the Rajya Sabha in June, joined the BJP on July 9 and were subsequently re-elected unopposed on BJP tickets. Koel Mallick, the daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, had served as a TMC Rajya Sabha MP from April 6 to July 16. She joined the BJP on Monday, a day after being nominated for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat, and filed her nomination papers at the Assembly. Explaining her decision, Mallick said, “The way development work has begun in West Bengal over the last few months, I am happy as a citizen,” She said she had entered politics with the intention of working for the people and added that she had never spoken ill of anyone and would not start doing so now. TMC reacts The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction criticised Mallick's decision, saying she had not done justice to the party's prestige. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh also attacked the former TMC leaders who have moved to the BJP. He said that when Mamata Banerjee was Chief Minister, ‘they lived Trinamool’, and alleged that they were now leaning towards the BJP because it was in power. Ghosh further claimed that Mamata Banerjee had brought Koel Mallick and her father Ranjit Mallick into politics.

<p>Tathagata Roy criticises BJP over former TMC leaders getting Rajya Sabha seats, while Bengal BJP denies any ‘Trinamoolisation’ of the party</p>

‘Very Unwise’: Tathagata Roy slams BJP over TMC leaders’ Rajya Sabha entry

<p>On a wrecked stage in Birati on Friday, a young woman held a half-torn portrait of Mahatma Gandhi aloft. It was the birth anniversary of the apostle of non-violence. Around her, chairs flew and a crowd fled with many left injured. The ‘Save Democracy’ meeting at Banik More, organised by the CPM's student wing SFI, started around 6 pm. It demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and highlighted allegations of unethical activities by the state government. Chairs were smashed, the banner torn down, the platform damaged. Several people were left bloodied following which the meeting was called off.</p><p><br>Organisers allege attackers pulled out the microphone, then struck again when SFI tried to continue. “Some BJP-backed miscreants arrived at the meeting and started vandalising the venue. They even climbed onto the stage and damaged it,” said CPM functionary Dipsita Dhar. She alleged one worker's head was smashed, another's eyes injured, and Gandhi's photo was dishonoured in the name of nationalism. Police, she said, asked the CPM to halt its programme instead of restraining the attackers. “Despite the vandalism taking place in front of police, they remained silent spectators.”</p><p><br>An injured worker said, "I saw chairs flying towards us. One hit me on the head." CPM workers later blocked MB Road. A&nbsp;&nbsp;BJP's local functionary said, “No BJP supporter was involved in the incident. The allegations are completely false.” BJP leader Debashis Chowdhury blamed the meeting. He said, “They were hurling foul abuse at the BJP and shouting anti-national slogans. Locals are furious with the CPM.” He said six BJP workers were injured. Meanwhile, MLA Saurav Sikdar said, “Nobody here in North Dum Dum wants to hear the CPM's name.”</p><p><br>The Birati meeting was part of a wider day of protest against Kumar. In Kolkata, the Left Front marched to the Gandhi Statue on Friday morning demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Cockroach Janta Party held agitations in Delhi’s Jantar&nbsp;&nbsp;Mantar and Mumbai’s Shivaji park. The anger centres on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and on reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times in 10 months.</p>

CPM-SFI’s Save Democracy meeting in Birati turned violent, with chairs thrown, the stage damaged and rival sides trading allegations over the clash

On a wrecked stage in Birati on Friday, a young woman held a half-torn portrait of Mahatma Gandhi aloft. It was the birth anniversary of the apostle of non-violence. Around her, chairs flew and a crowd fled with many left injured. The ‘Save Democracy’ meeting at Banik More, organised by the CPM's student wing SFI, started around 6 pm. It demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and highlighted allegations of unethical activities by the state government. Chairs were smashed, the banner torn down, the platform damaged. Several people were left bloodied following which the meeting was called off. Organisers allege attackers pulled out the microphone, then struck again when SFI tried to continue. “Some BJP-backed miscreants arrived at the meeting and started vandalising the venue. They even climbed onto the stage and damaged it,” said CPM functionary Dipsita Dhar. She alleged one worker's head was smashed, another's eyes injured, and Gandhi's photo was dishonoured in the name of nationalism. Police, she said, asked the CPM to halt its programme instead of restraining the attackers. “Despite the vandalism taking place in front of police, they remained silent spectators.” An injured worker said, "I saw chairs flying towards us. One hit me on the head." CPM workers later blocked MB Road. A BJP's local functionary said, “No BJP supporter was involved in the incident. The allegations are completely false.” BJP leader Debashis Chowdhury blamed the meeting. He said, “They were hurling foul abuse at the BJP and shouting anti-national slogans. Locals are furious with the CPM.” He said six BJP workers were injured. Meanwhile, MLA Saurav Sikdar said, “Nobody here in North Dum Dum wants to hear the CPM's name.” The Birati meeting was part of a wider day of protest against Kumar. In Kolkata, the Left Front marched to the Gandhi Statue on Friday morning demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Cockroach Janta Party held agitations in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and Mumbai’s Shivaji park. The anger centres on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and on reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times in 10 months.

<p>A CPM-SFI meeting in Birati turned violent as chairs flew and the stage was damaged, with both sides trading allegations over the clash</p>

Violence erupts at CPM-SFI ‘Save Democracy’ meeting in Birati as CPM, BJP trade blame; several injured

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs a key meeting in Siliguri with prominent Gorkha leaders and representatives. The meeting focuses on important issues concerning the Gorkha community and comes amid heightened political activity in West Bengal.

Watch for the latest updates on Amit Shah, Siliguri, Gorkha leaders, West Bengal politics and Centre-Gorkha talks.

 Union Home Minister Amit Shah Holds Crucial Talks with Gorkha Leaders


Former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Ashish Banerjee has been found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum district, in a shocking development that has triggered a police investigation and political reactions.

According to police, a purported suicide note was recovered from the office and is being examined. The note reportedly stated that no one was responsible for his death, while also referring to his lack of authority in the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority and expressing regret over his entry into politics.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has expressed condolences and called for a thorough investigation, including examination of call records and the circumstances surrounding Banerjee's death. Political parties have also called for an impartial probe, while allegations of political pressure and harassment have emerged.

Former West Bengal Deputy Speaker Ashish Banerjee Found Dead At Trinamool Congress Office In Birbhum

A dramatic political development has emerged in West Bengal, with reports suggesting that 20 Trinamool Congress MPs have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking to join the ruling NDA. The move could reshape political equations in both West Bengal and New Delhi. This episode analyzes the potential fallout and what it means for India's political landscape.

20 TMC MPs Write Letter To Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Seeking To Join Ruling NDA

Fresh signs of unrest have emerged within the Trinamool Congress, raising questions about party unity after its recent electoral setback. Reports suggest internal dissent is growing, with rebel voices challenging the leadership and exposing cracks within West Bengal's ruling political formation.

As the political battle intensifies, the developments could have major implications for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the future direction of the Trinamool Congress in the state.

West Bengal: Rebellion Grows Within Trinamool Congress

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has led a major protest in Kolkata over alleged post-poll attacks, as tensions between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP continue to rise. The political showdown comes amid fresh accusations and counter-claims following recent electoral developments in the state.


Is TMC Heading For A Split? Internal Rift Deepens After Bengal Poll Defeat 