Bengal: After Mamata's landslide win, turncoats seek return to TMC from BJP

Former MLA Sonali Guha, who had joined the BJP after she was denied a ticket to contest polls by Mamata, wrote on Twitter that she can't remain separated from her former boss just like "fishes can't live without water".

Footballer-turned politician Dipendu Biswas, who has already left the BJP, on Monday wrote a letter to Mamata expressing his wishes to return to the TMC, which returned to power for the third term on May 2.

Sarala Murmu and Amal Acharya, as per reports, are other leaders who want to quit BJP for the TMC.

There is also a rumour that former West Bengal Minister Rajib Banerjee, who flew to Delhi to join the BJP but lost his own seat Domjur in Howrah, is also keen to return to the ruling party.

Rumours gained pace over BJP MLA Mukul Roy too after the veteran politician and former number two man of Mamata held a meeting with TMC top leader Subrata Bakshi.

However, Roy, who joined the BJP in 2017, later clarified he was still with the saffron camp.

In a message to the BJP, Roy's politician son Subhrangshu Roy has interestingly said it was important for the party to introspect rather than criticising an elected government.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told English news channel NDTV that seven-eight BJP MLAs and three-four MPs are ready to join the TMC but the ruling party's top brass is yet to take a decision on this.

Reacting to the development within the party, BJP chief spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said, "People who came to the party crying are now leaving smiling. Everything is happening in front of people. People will understand why they have come to the party and why they are leaving."

Months before the Assembly Elections, a mass exodus from the TMC was witnessed with the BJP claiming it would end Mamata's rule in 2021.

However, Mamata-led TMC returned to power for the third consecutive term with 213 of 294 seats (two seats due to be polled) as opposed to BJP's mere 77 (now 75 following two resignations).