NEW DELHI: Former Minister of West Bengal Rajib banerjee, who recently left Trinamool, joined BJP on Saturday along with four others TMC members after meeting with Union Interior Minister Amit Shah.
Banerjee and MLAs Prabir Ghosal and Baishali Dalmiya, who was recently expelled from TMC, former Howrah mayor Rathin Chakraborty, and actor Rudranil Ghosh flew to the capital on a special plane and met with core members of the BJP.
“They have joined the BJP”, party secretary general Kailash Vijayvargiya he said after the meeting. Former TMC MLA Parthasarathi Chattopadhyay accompanied them during the meeting with BJP officials.
BJP National Vice President Mukul Roy and Vijayvargiya arrived in Delhi with them. Hours earlier, Banerjee said he had spoken to Shah, who called him in New Delhi.
“After I resigned from TMC, I got a call from the BJP leadership … Shah ji told me to go to Delhi. He also asked me to pass the information on to five other important public figures who wanted to better serve the people to accompany me. If I have the assurance of the development of the state, if I have the assurance that I can work for the betterment of the people, I will join BJP, ”he told reporters at Kolkata airport.
When asked what role he hopes to play in BJP, Banerjee said that it is the party that must decide.
“I want to work for the people. So whatever role is assigned, I will accept it, ”he said. Rather than mock each other, the Center and the Bengal government should work together for the people of the state
Rudranil Ghosh, who has recently expressed his discontent over the issue of governance in Bengal and the alleged corruption in the distribution of monetary compensation to people affected by Cyclone Amphan last year, said he wants to work for the people.
Uttarpara MLA Prabir Ghosal had alleged that a faction of TMC was not allowing the repair of a road in their constituency to damage their electoral prospects.
According to BJP sources, these TMC members were supposed to join the saffron party during Shah’s rally at Dumurjula in Howrah on Sunday.
However, Shah’s two-day visit to Bengal was canceled at the last minute.
Reacting to the development, TMC senior deputy and party spokesman Sougata Ray said: “Those who left did not have a long political history and most were brought into the party by CM and the party supreme). Mamata banerjee. In the future, TMC will be careful. ” Another TMC leader and senior minister, Subrata Mukherjee, said: “What can we do if someone wants to go? Ours is a great party. We cannot prevent dissidents from deploying armed forces.”
On video: Rajib Banerjee, other former TMC leaders join BJP in the presence of Amit Shah
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