New Delhi, Sept. 14 -- On Monday the rebel TMC leader and Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia made claims about the Nationalist Citizens Party of India MPs who would be joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to him, 17 of the 20 NCPI MPs would be joining the BJP either before or after Durga Puja in October. However, BJP has strongly dismissed the allegations as state chief Samik Bhattacharya said that the party would not take anyone in just because of their willingness.

Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia said that the primary plan was to join BJP directly after the end of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule in the state. However, it couldn't happen, and hence, "arrangement was made for us to join the NCPI," he ...