Hours after Trinamool Congress MLA Jitendra Tiwari stepped down as head of the Asansol Municipal Corporation and the party on Thursday, the state’s top BJP leaders made it clear that he may not be welcome in the party.
At least four TMC lawmakers have resigned from the party in the past 48 hours. While Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, a former minister, has already expressed interest in joining the BJP, speculation abounds that Suvendu Ahikari, another former TMC minister, could also join the BJP on Saturday.
The top leaders of the BJP have already welcomed Adhikari. But when it comes to other TMC names, some BJP leaders and workers have expressed reservations.
Tiwari, one of the four Trinamool leaders who have left the party, may not find it easy to switch to the BJP rival camp. Those who are against him are Asansol deputy Babul Supriyo and BJP President Mahila Morcha, Agnimitra Paul.
“What my best bosses decide is something different, but I will do my best with all my strength and honesty to ensure that NO #TMC leader who tormented, tortured (both physically and mentally) my entry-level BJP colleagues in Asansol, don “I don’t have an entry in BJP,” union minister Babul Supriyo said in a Facebook post.
A senior BJP leader said Supriyo has not appointed anyone to his post.
“Everything I did in the past was for the party (TMC). But since I was the MLA, I take responsibility, ”Tiwari said. However, he said he has not decided whether he will join the BJP.
Agnimitra Paul also echoed Supriyo and confronted Tiwari, but said that the BJP’s top leadership would make the final decision.
“The Asansol people don’t like it. He had interrupted Supriyo and opposed him in every possible way. He hasn’t said a word in the last nine and a half years and now with the election five months away, he’s saying that Asansol has been deprived because of the TMC. Everyone knows why he does this. Some TMC leaders are eager to join the BJP and he may be one of them, ”said Paul.
“Everyone is welcome. But the important thing is what role or responsibility he would have in the BJP,” he added.
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