India, Sept. 15 -- Many TMC MPs who had left the party and joined the Nationalist Citizens' Party of India (NCPI), after the West Bengal Assembly elections early this year, are likely to join the BJP, rebel TMC MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia said on Monday. A claim soon dismissed by the rebel leaders and the State BJP.

"Out of the 20 MPs - who had come out of the TMC and joined the NCPI, a registered but unrecognised party - 17 have now decided to join the BJP, maybe before or after the Durga Pujas. This means 17 MPs together make the (two-third) quorum to bypass the anti-defection laws," Basunia said. His house and party office in Cooch Behar was attacked by alleged BJP cadres recently.

"The remaining three MPs - Abu Taher, Yusuf Pa...