NEWBIES FROM THE EAST NORTH-EAST
ODISHA
BAIJAYANT JAY PANDA From: BJD to BJP in March 2019 USP: From trusted lieutenant of Naveen Patnaik to bête noire, Panda is now part of BJP’s national team
BALABHADRA MAJHI From: BJD to BJP in 2019 USP: Was sitting MLA from Nabrangpur when he was denied ticket in 2019. Could not win as BJP candidate
PRATYUSHA RAJESHWARI SINGH From: BJD to BJP in March 2019 USP: Former BJD MP is now the saffron party’s state vice-president
SANJEEB KUMAR SAHOO From: BJD to BJP in November 2021
USP: Four-time MLA is a confidant of CM’s friend-turned-foe Pyari Mohan Mohapatra
ANJALI BEHERA From: BJD to BJP in October 2021
USP: Two-time MLA left BJD in 2014. Will possibly be a BJP candidate from Dhenkanal area in 2024
BIHAR
MISRI LAL YADAV From: VIP to BJP in March 2022
USP: He along with other VIP MLAs Raju Singh and Swarna Singh joined the BJP, making the party, although briefly, the single largest party in Bihar for the first time ever
RAM KIRPAL YADAV From: RJD to BJP in March 2014
USP: Was practically No. 2 in RJD, a close confidant of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Was minister in Modi 1.0. and continues to be MP from Pataliputra
NUTAN SINGH From: LJP to BJP in March 2021
USP: She was the lone MLC from LJP. Party has no presence now in the Bihar Legislative Council
JHARKHAND
ARJUN MUNDA From: JMM to BJP in 1998 USP: Tribal face in ’90s gave BJP an opening in erstwhile Bihar (now Jharkhand)
BABULAL MARANDI From: Jharkhand Vikas Party to BJP in February 2020
USP: The state’s first CM merged his party with the BJP and became chief of state legislative unit. Returned to the saffron fold after 14 years outside and is now BJP’s tribal face again
ANNAPURNA DEVI From: RJD to BJP in March 2019
USP: Former state RJD chief is now MP from Koderma and the Union MoS, ministry of education
WEST BENGAL
SUVENDU ADHIKARY From: TMC to BJP in December 2020 USP: The former No. 2 to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, he defeated her in the assembly polls. He is leader of the party’s legislative unit
NISITH PRAMANIK From: TMC to BJP USP: A formidable leader in the Cooch Behar region of the state. He switched over from the TMC’s youth wing to become Union MoS for home affairs, sports and youth affairs
JOHN BARLA From: TMC to BJP in 2019
USP: Won the 2019 LS elections from Alipurduar, north Bengal. Currently he’s Union MoS of minority affairs. Spent his early years in the tea gardens, has worked with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
LOCKET CHATTERJEE From: TMC to BJP in 2015
USP: Former film star and TMC’s star campaigner, she is now BJP MP from Hooghly. BJP made her coincharge of assembly polls in Uttarakhand
SAUMITRA KHAN From: TMC to BJP in 2019
USP: Was among the first big names to switch to BJP and continues to stick with the party. He is the Lok Sabha MP from Bishnupur
ASSAM
HIMANTA BISWA SARMA
From: Congress to BJP in 2015
USP: Chief architect of the BJP’s expansion in the Northeast. A leader of the masses, he has mastered the art of backroom management
SARBANANDA SONOWAL From: AGP to BJP in 2011 USP: Ex-AASU leader is a symbol of Assamese regionalism. Clean image helped the BJP gain ground initially, particularly in Upper Assam
TRIPURA
MANIK SAHA From: Congress to BJP in 2016
USP: The dental surgeon is known for his organisational skills. Was made president of the state unit within four years of joining the BJP
MANIPUR
N. BIREN SINGH From: Congress to BJP in 2016
USP: A trusted lieutenant of former Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh, his departure opened the floodgates. Over twothirds of the top Congress leadership followed him
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
PEMA KHANDU From: Congress to BJP in 2016
USP: Almost the entire state Congress leadership joined the BJP along with Khandu. Son of ex-CM Dorjee Khandu, he has been central to BJP’s expansion in Arunchal
KIREN RIJIJU From: Congress to BJP in 2012
USP: Left BJP and joined Congress in 2009. Son of an ex-Congressman, Rijiju is now the most prominent tribal leader from the N-E
SIKKIM
DORJEE TSHERING LEPCHA
From: SDF to BJP in 2019 USP: Lepcha and 9 other MLAs from Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) jumped ship, overnight making the BJP the largest Opposition party