Four MLAs defected in the last four months.
In one of the biggest defections in West Bengal after the 2021 assembly polls, former Union minister and two-time BJP MP from Asansol Babul Supriyo on Saturday joined the Trinamool Congress. Mr Supriyo visited the office of Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee here and joined the ruling party.
on 31st July, Mr Supriyo announced on social media that he would resign as MP And stay away from active politics. He later said that he would continue to be an MP..
After joining the TMC, Mr Supriyo told reporters that the party leadership has given him a “great opportunity” and he has decided to take it.
“It was with great disillusionment that I announced that I would quit politics. A great opportunity has been raised by Didi [Mamata Banerjee] And Abhishek Banerjee and I are happy to accept it.” There is speculation in political circles that Mr Supriyo may be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Trinamool in place of Arpita Ghosh, who quit the Upper House on Wednesday. Was.
Mr. Supriyo lost the 2021 assembly election from Tollygunge on a BJP ticket. He had to resign from the post of Union Minister of State during the cabinet reshuffle in July. Since then, he has been expressing dissatisfaction with the party leadership, saying that he was not given enough responsibility. “I was expecting something else after seven years as a Union Minister of State. Then differences with the party started increasing.”
Shri Supriyo was elected to the Lok Sabha from Asansol in 2014 and 2019. The defection comes weeks before the crucial Bhawanipur bypoll where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting. Interestingly, the BJP had nominated Mr. Supriyo as one of the star campaigners for this seat.
Mr Supriyo said, “Mamata Banerjee does not need any campaign, but if the party believes me, I will be happy to campaign in Bhabnipur.”
NS BJP was first shocked when Mukul Roy left the party. and joined TMC. At least four MLAs of the party have joined the TMC in the last four months.
State BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said, “Babul Supriyo has betrayed the people of Asansol and has also proved that his entire aim was to remain a minister and enjoy power.” A section of party leaders like MP Jagannath Sarkar said that BJP should give tickets to only those who are committed to its ideology and not outsiders.
The TMC leadership said the BJP, which organized large-scale defections from the party ahead of the assembly elections and sent a charter plane to bring them to Delhi, cannot criticize these defectors.
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