Month After Trinamool Win, Defectors Who Joined BJP Queue Up To Return

From former MLA Sonali Guha to footballer-turned-politician Dipendu Biswas, Trinamool's turncoats in the BJP are now looking for a path back.

One of the most apparent challenges faced by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the many months leading up to the legislative polls held in March-April this year was the massive exodus of her party's leaders to the BJP. This constant stream reinforced talk of the outfit's impending collapse. That mirage, however, quickly vanished on results day, May 2. The Trinamool Congress romped home with 213 of the 292 assembly seats -- the BJP bagged 77. And now, a reverse migration is in the offing. A rising number of former Trinamool leaders in the BJP now seems to be seeking re-entry into Ms Banerjee's stable. Former MLA Sonali Guha, for instance, now feels like "fish out of water" after having left the Trinamool in March this year. Footballer-turned-politician Dipendu Biswas wrote to Ms Banerjee today saying he wants to "take the TMC flag again". Other such names include Sarala Murmu and Amal Acharya, according to a PTI report.