BJP MLA Tapasi Mondal, close aide to Suvendu, joins Trinamool

The West Bengal BJP has suffered yet another political setback, this time with a direct impact on Suvendu Adhikari’s camp. While the BJP has claimed to be preparing for upcoming elections well in advance, one of its MLAs, Tapasi Mondal from Haldia, has defected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC). She officially joined the ruling party on Monday at Trinamool Bhavan.

Tapasi’s shift from BJP to TMC carries immense political significance. As a legislator from Purba Medinipur—Suvendu Adhikari’s home district—her move has been seen as a direct challenge to his influence. Tapasi originally belonged to the CPIM and had won the 2016 Assembly elections from Haldia as a Congress-backed CPIM candidate, even when the TMC dominated the state. At that time, Suvendu himself was overseeing Haldia for TMC, yet she managed to secure a victory.

Later, Tapasi joined BJP under Suvendu’s leadership. When Suvendu left TMC for BJP, she followed him, leaving the CPIM behind. In the 2021 Assembly elections, she contested from Haldia as a BJP candidate and won again. She remained a trusted aide of Suvendu until now. However, as Suvendu escalates his attacks on the TMC, his own close associate has defected to the ruling party, dealing a significant political blow to him. Meanwhile, the TMC is celebrating the move, claiming that they have weakened Suvendu’s stronghold in Purba Medinipur.

On Monday afternoon, Tapasi Mondal arrived at Trinamool Bhavan near the Eastern Bypass, where she was officially welcomed into the party. The BJP’s electoral struggles have intensified, as they faced major defeats in both the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While the BJP performed decently in North Bengal, its performance in South Bengal, especially outside Purba Medinipur, was poor. The only exception was Suvendu’s home district, where the BJP had managed to outperform TMC in both elections. Even Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost to Suvendu in Nandigram. However, with Tapasi’s defection, TMC claims they have now made inroads into the BJP-dominated region.

Reports suggest that Bishnupur MLA Tanmoy Ghosh played a key role in Tapasi’s defection. Tanmoy himself had won the 2021 elections on a BJP ticket before switching to TMC. Additionally, a senior West Bengal minister reportedly mediated the discussions between Tanmoy and TMC’s supremo, Mamata Banerjee, which ultimately led to Tapasi’s shift. With this development, political equations in Purba Medinipur may see significant changes ahead of the next elections.