Basu, who used to be a district mentor group member in TMC, named seven district office-bearers and at least one MP, East Burdwan’s Sunil Mandal, as being BJP-bound. Mandal has yet to confirm or deny that he will join BJP at Shah’s rally.
TMC isn’t the only dissent-ridden party BJP seems to be gaining from. CPM’s Tapasi Mondal, the MLA from East Midnapore’s Haldia, is said to be among those ready to cross over.
The desertion bug bit Trinamool’s Birbhum bastion as well, where former Bolpur Municipality councillors Arup Roy and Shelley Roy resigned on Friday, sparking speculation that they might be joining BJP when Shah visits the district on Sunday.
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Bengal Heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari Joins BJP, Says Never Received Love and Respect in TMC
Suvendu Adhikari speaks at Amit Shah’s Midnapore rally after joining the BJP on Saturday. (Twitter/@ANI)
At the Midnapore rally with Amit Shah, Adhikari called the senior BJP leader his “elder brother” and said he has received “love and respect” from him that was never accorded to him in the TMC.
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West Bengal political heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari joined the BJP along with nine MLAs of different parties and a TMC MP at Union home minister Amit Shah s rally in Midnapore on Saturday, ending weeks of speculation. Adhikari resigned from the Trinamool Congress earlier this week, besides giving up his cabinet portfolios in the Mamata Banerjee government. He has also resigned as an MLA, but it is yet to be accepted.
NEW DELHI: Former TMC heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday joined the BJP in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah at a rally in West Bengal s Midnapore. His formal induction into the saffron party has put to rest weeks of speculation about his political future.
Adhikari, who has been at odds with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the past few weeks, had exited the Trinamool Congress on Thursday and resigned as the party s MLA earlier this week.
Besides Adhikari, several other TMC leaders defected to the BJP at the mammoth rally.
Two-time TMC MP from Bardhaman Purba Lok Sabha constituency Sunil Mondal, who has been vocal about his differences with the party s leadership, was inducted into the the BJP.