Ruby Chatterjee, TMC councillor from Garifa (West Bengal), ward no 6 says, "20 councillors are here in Delhi. We ar… https://t.co/qJxtr3eE5M — ANI (@ANI) 1559027170000

NEW DELHI: MLAs from the ruling Trinamool Congress as well as opposition parties CPM and Congress are said to be in touch with BJP, amid speculations of some of them defecting to the saffron fold, sources say.Subhrangshu Roy, TMC MLA from Bijpur and son of BJP leader Mukul Roy is already in Delhi. He is on record having said that me might cross over along with a few more from the party.Besides Subhrangshu, MLAs Gautam Das of Gangarampur and Tusharkanti Bhattacharya of Bishnupur (both Congress) are likely to cross over to the saffron camp.BJP sources claimed that CPM MLA from Hemtabad, Debendra Nath Roy would also join its fold. A CPM source confirmed that Roy had indeed gone to Delhi in his bid to switch sides.Another MLA, Sunil Singh, is also believed to have travelled to Delhi to join the BJP.BJP's newly-elected Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh, who deserted the Trinamool after being denied ticket from the constituency, has seemingly played a key role in engineering the defections. Sunil Singh is Arjun's relative.In a setback to TMC chief Mamata Banjerjee, about 20 women councillors of her party arrived here on Tuesday saying they wanted to join BJP as they were influenced by the deep inroads made by the saffron party in West Bengal in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. Some MLAs from TMC, CPM and Congress are also said to be in touch with BJP."20 councillors are here in Delhi. We are not upset with Mamata ji (Banerjee) but BJP's massive gains in Bengal has influenced us to join the party. People are liking BJP as they are working for them," Ruby Chatterjee, TMC councillor from Garifa, Ward no 6, told ANI.18 councillors of Halishahar, 17 of Naihati and 14 of Kanchrapara areas are likely to join the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), party sources said.Once they switch allegiance, the Trinamool could lose control of all three municipalities.The state witnessed a saffron surge as BJP inflicted a massive blow to the ruling TMC by winning 18 of the 42 parliamentary constituencies, in contrast with the figure of 2 seats in the 2014 general elections.The Banerjee-led TMC won just 22 seats, as against 34 in 2014.(With agency inputs)