NEW DELHI: In another blow to Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta resigned from party on Friday.
This is the third big start of the match in two days.
On Thursday, Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the party after resigning from his cabinet portfolios in state government and resigning as the MLA.
Cheering Adhikari, Pandabeswar MLA and Asansol civic body head Jitendra Tiwari also left the party, amid speculation that they might switch to the BJP.
Former Minister Shyamaprasad Mukherjee also announced that he would leave the party and join the BJP.
Dutta, a two-term MLA, said he sent the resignation letter to Trinamool Congress Chairman Mamata Banerjee via email, sparking speculation that he could join a long list of party leaders who have joined the BJP or are willing to do it before the assembly. elections, probably in March-April.
“With all due regards, I present my resignation as a member of All India Trinamool Congress as well as all other positions that I hold in the party and its associated organizations with immediate effect, ”Dutta wrote in his resignation letter.
“I think I am not fit for the party in the current scenario. But I will not resign as an MLA,” he told reporters.
“Why should I resign as an MLA? I have won with the votes of the people. If I leave (I resign), where will they go?” added.
The resignations come ahead of Union Interior Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah’s visit to West Bengal this weekend. He will address a political rally and have lunch at a farmer’s residence in Midnapore.
Suvendu Adhikari is expected to join the BJP in Shah’s presence.
With its sights set on the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, the BJP has been beefing up its campaign in the state on war, deploying Union ministers, a deputy CM and central leaders and assigning them six to seven districts. Lok Sabha electoral rolls each.
Previously, the BJP had assigned the incumbents of its office to collect comments from five different zones of the voting state.
The party has become the ruling TMC’s main rival, winning 18 of Lok Sabha’s 42 seats in the 2019 elections, leaving no stone unturned in its effort to form the next government in the state.
( With PTI inputs)
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