TMC loses 2 MLAs, 50 councillors to BJP in 'first of seven phases'

With these defections, TMC loses hold over two assembly constituencies and three municipal bodies in West Bengal

Days after the Trinamool Congress lost several of its previously held Lok Sabha seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party, two of its MLAs and more than 50 councillors defected to the national party on Monday. One MLA of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), too, jumped ship. 

The BJP said mass exodus of Trinamool leaders to the BJP will take place in “seven phases” — this being the first.

While the TMC lost Subhrangshu Roy (Bijpur MLA) and Tusharkanti Bhattacharya (Bishnupur MLA), the CPI-M witnessed the departure of Debendra Nath Roy, a legislator from Hemtabad. 

Roy’s father Mukul Roy, who was once considered