Kolkata, Nov 29 (NationPress) Trinamool Congress leaders, regardless of their influence, who express interest in joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the specific demand for nomination in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections from a preferred constituency, will no longer be considered, as per party sources on Saturday.

The central leadership of the BJP has issued clear directives to the state unit through Sunil Bansal, the party's central observer for West Bengal.

According to Bansal's instructions, any leader from a different party wishing to join the BJP must do so without any preconditions. The decision on whether to field that leader in the 2026 assembly elections will be made by the party’s central leadership in collaboration with the state leadership. However, securing a ticket for the elections cannot be a prerequisite for joining the BJP in any situation, stated a member of the state committee who participated in the internal meeting where Bansal delivered this message.

This revised strategy arises from bitter experiences during the 2021 assembly elections when several prominent Trinamool figures switched to the BJP, expecting to contest from their chosen seats. Following the election results, many who lost returned to the Trinamool Congress, and even some winners rejoined the ruling party.

The central leadership has also advised the state unit to be discerning when recommending celebrities, especially from the film industry, as candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. A member of the state committee noted that the central leadership outlined three criteria before endorsing any celebrity for candidacy.

First, the depth of the proposed celebrity's connection to the BJP's core political values. Second, their understanding of the social and geographical aspects of the assembly constituency from which they might contest. Third, the likelihood of these celebrity nominees remaining engaged with organizational work, regardless of electoral results.

This guidance reflects the BJP's intention to prevent scenarios where opportunistic entrants, primarily brought in for electoral reasons, later defect or disengage, which could weaken the party's local structure and long-term electoral viability.

Party officials indicated that the directive aims to ensure that new members, whether experienced politicians or public figures, are integrated into a continuous party-building initiative rather than being treated as temporary electoral assets.