With eyes on assembly polls, Modi to induct West Bengal MPs into cabinet

With Union Cabinet set to sworn-in later today, at least two MPs from West Bengal are on board. The development comes ahead of crucial assembly elections in the state, where the BJP made a big dent into TMC's share of Lok Sabha seats in the recently concluded national polls.

The BJP made deep inroads into the state bagging 18 seats, as compared to 2 in 2014, while the TMC managed to get 22 out of the total 42.

Debasree Chaudhuri, newly-elected BJP MP from Raiganj is set to be a part of Narendra Modi's new cabinet, while Babul Supriyo, who registered victory over TMC's Moon Moon Sen with 1.97 lakh votes, will be a part of the government once again.

Chaudhuri not only expressed joy over getting a call for being a part of the team, but also affirmed that her party will form government in West Bengal.

" I am feeling very good, I was expecting the phone call. Upcoming assembly election will be one-sided because TMC will not exist. Their MLAs and Councillors are joining BJP. TMC will not be able to do anything in the next election. BJP will form the govt there. We will finish them in 5-6 months," said Debasree Chaudhuri.

Recently, in what could be termed as a major embarrassment for TMC after its poor show in the Lok Sabha polls, three MLAs and over 60 Councillors from the party crossed over to the BJP in presence of party's national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

On the other hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday went back on her decision to attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony objecting to the families of BJP workers, allegedly killed in political violence in the state, being invited to the function.

Modi and his council of ministers will be sworn in at 7 pm at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

( With inputs from ANI )