Trinamool political culture should not taint BJP, says West Bengal minister Swapan Dasgupta

BJP MLA Swapan Dasgupta. File | Photo credit: ANI

Senior BJP MLA and West Bengal Cabinet Minister Swapan Dasgupta said the political culture of the Trinamool Congress should not end up contaminating the BJP through mass defections.

In a post on social media, Mr. Dasgupta said the BJP must always be wary of false friends who take refuge because they need to wash away their past sins.

“I am not shedding tears for TMC’s self-destruction. My only hope is that the political culture of vandals does not start contaminating West Bengal BJP. We in BJP must always be wary of false friends who resort to partying today because they need to wash away their past sins. Detoxification of Bengal cannot be left incomplete on social media X.”

The Rashbehari MLA’s remarks come as the Trinamool Congress legislature party tackles the insurgency; more than two-thirds of party MLAs expressed support for expelled Trinamool MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, who was named Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday (June 3, 2026).

Another defection is ‘threatened’

There is talk in political circles that most Trinamool legislators would defect and join the BJP if given a chance. Almost every day since the regime change in the state, Trinamool leaders have been announcing their decision to quit the party. Several Trinamool leaders at the local level tried to paint their party offices saffron and put up BJP flags.

BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya claimed that the party had built itself from rank-and-file foundations and eventually took the polls by storm, winning 207 MLAs. “Our doors are closed to TMC. We reached 207 without importing anyone. People voted against Trinamool. How can we include tainted individuals in the party?” said Mr. Bhattacharya.

Since the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, defections from the opposition to the ruling party have become the norm. Left and Congress MLAs and leaders defected en masse to the Trinamool Congress between 2011 and 2021. Therefore, fears among BJP leaders like Swapan Dasgupta of Trinamool leaders joining the BJP in large numbers are not unfounded.

Published – 04 June 2026 11:00 PM IST