TMC supporters participate in election campaign in support of party candidate for West Bengal Assembly elections | Photo credit: PTI
The 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections saw 2,132 candidates enter the fray, with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) emerging victorious after securing victory in 215 of the 294 seats. A few months before the 2021 polls, more than a dozen TMC legislators defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hope of better electoral prospects.
A few notable names include Rajib Banerjee, Banasree Maity, Saikat Panja, Rajib Banerjee and Sonali Guha. The biggest blow to TMC came with Suvendu Adhikari’s crossover to BJP. A former trusted lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee, he played a crucial role in the Nandigram agitation that catapulted the regional party to power. Several heavyweights who were part of Mr. Adhikari’s group included Biswajit Kundu, Saikat Panja, Banasree Maity and Sunil Mondal.
Published – 21 Apr 2026 13:59 IST
