NEW DELHI: The BJP in Bengal received another boost as 15 TMC councilors out of 20 members Municipality of Contai, directed by Soumendu Adhikari, joined the party on Friday.
Soumendu is the brother of Suvendu Adhikari and was recently removed by the Trinamool Congress as president of the municipality of Contai in the district of Purba Medinipur.
Suvendu Adhikari, former cabinet minister at the Mamata banerjee government, had led the largest exodus from Trinamool Congress last month.
He had joined the BJP along with nine MLAs, five of them from TMC, and a party MP during the Union Interior Minister Amit Shah’s demonstration in Medinipur on 19 December.
Soumendu’s departure from Trinamool was imminent as he had not participated in the party’s recent political programs in the district.
A section of Trinamool leaders had alleged that he was supporting his brother Suvendu Adhikari’s mass contact programs for the past two months.
The Adhikari family still has two other members in the TMC camp: MPs Dibyendu and Sisir.
Suvendu, who called his brother’s removal a “vindictive move,” said: “Soumendu has a long political career ahead of him. He has worked hard all these years … and the same is true of the other councilors. The Adhikari family already he is not with the Pishi-Bhaipo party (Supreme TMC Mamata Banerjee and nephew Abhisek Banerjee) “.
(With inputs from agencies)
On video: Ahead of the Bengal Assembly Elections, Suvendu Adhikari’s Brother Soumendu Joins BJP
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