BJP's John Barla secretly meets TMC leaders ahead of bypolls, switching party on cards?

Speculation is swirling around the potential defection of former Union Minister and BJP leader John Barla to the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Political observers in West Bengal's Duars region are abuzz with rumors following a recent meeting between Barla and senior TMC leaders, raising questions about his continued association with the BJP ahead of the Madarihat assembly by-election.

The meeting reportedly occurred at Barla’s residence in Lakshmipara Tea Garden, Banarhat, where Trinamool State Secretary Deepen Pramanik and District Spokesperson Dulal Debnath visited him. This has sparked concerns of a potential split within Bengal's BJP leadership as the by-election for Madarihat approaches on November 13. Notably, Barla has been absent from BJP’s campaign activities in the area, intensifying speculation.

Adding to the intrigue, Barla’s sister, Marina Kujur, recently joined TMC after being denied a BJP ticket for the assembly by-election. Marina, who previously won a panchayat seat for BJP in 2018 from Sulkapara, switched allegiance to TMC following the ticket snub.

The Madarihat constituency includes parts of the Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, including the Binnaguri and Sakwajhora Gram Panchayats. Political experts are questioning whether Barla’s potential shift signals a larger trend of defections as TMC seeks to strengthen its foothold ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections.

While the BJP has not commented on the recent developments, the possibility of Barla’s defection could significantly impact the party’s support base in the Duars region, which has been traditionally strong for BJP.