New Delhi, July 9 -- Three former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha members-Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik-joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata on Thursday, weeks after resigning from the Upper House and quitting the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

The leaders were formally inducted into the BJP by West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya at the party's state headquarters in Salt Lake. Senior state BJP leaders were also present during the induction programme.

Welcoming the three leaders, Bhattacharya presented them with BJP flags and said their political experience would strengthen the party's organisation in West Bengal.

The induction comes a month after Dev, Ray and Baraik resigned from the ...