Elections in West Bengal 2021: Jitendra Tewari joined the BJP today
Calcutta:
A Trinamool MLA who resigned in December and then returned almost immediately, eventually left Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party just weeks before the Bengal elections. Jitendra Tiwari, the hesitant legislator, joined the BJP today. The Pandaveswar MLA was a key face of Trinamool in Asansol.
Welcoming the BJP, their boss in Bengal, Dilip Ghosh, said: “Jitendra Tiwari has changed parties today. He worked very hard for Trinamool. One poriborton (change) has already started in Bengal, the other will also happen. Rajeev Banerjee and Probir Ghoshal (former TMC leaders) are also here with us. “
“Our party grows every day. And we also grow in Bengal. Jitendra Tiwari is a great leader, but he has joined us on a small stage,” Ghosh added.
Jitendra Tiwari chanted the BJP motto “Jai Shri Ram” and said, “This is something I have said since I was a child. Today I can say it from a stage.”
He said that for the past two years he had felt suffocated at Trinamool. “I am grateful that the BJP has included me in their family and given me space to serve the party. Now I can say how I feel. I don’t want to make any accusations but for the last two years I couldn’t say what was on my mind. Now I can do that and I thank the BJP for giving me the opportunity to say what I feel. I have found myself aligned with the ideology of the BJP and I feel that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi there will be change in Bengal. “
Sources say that while his resignation and swift return to Trinamool was seen as a change of mind following persuasion from top party leaders, the delay was more than the BJP.
Union Minister Babul Supriyo, a key BJP leader in Bengal and the deputy from Asansol, reportedly opposed Tiwari’s entry. He had reportedly said that Tiwari’s entry would upset BJP workers and also hinted that he was involved in a coal scam that the CBI was investigating. The obstacle has been removed for now. Interestingly, Mr. Tiwari did not join the BJP in Asansol but in the Hooghly district.
On December 18, Tiwari’s dramatic comeback turned out to be the only good news for Mamata Banerjee on a day of resignations. Tiwari declared his resignation a “mistake” and, after meeting with senior leaders, told reporters: “I never said anything about Didi (Mamata Banerjee) or her joining the BJP.”
Five MLA had resigned consecutively that day. Tiwari had resigned along with Suvendu Adhikari, possibly Trinamool’s biggest loss and BJP’s star takeover.
The Trinamool had then said “goodbye” after the departures that soon turned into a tide of leaders defecting to the BJP. Most defectors have openly or covertly attacked the influence of election strategist Prashant Kishor’s team.
Although the BJP said “no more” Trinamool recruits last month, the trend continues well into jobs.
Bengal will vote in eight rounds over 33 days starting March 27. Results will be announced on May 2.
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