Another TMC MLA, Jitendra Tiwari joins BJP ahead of Bengal polls 2021.
Amid an ongoing exodus from the ruling Trinamool Congress ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, two-time party MLA from Pandabeswar in
Paschim Barddhaman district and former Asansol mayor, Jitendra Tiwari, joined the BJP on Tuesday.
Tiwari, who had rebelled against the TMC leadership but had mellowed down after the BJP declined to induct him into the party in December last year, joined the saffron camp in the presence of party state chief Dilip Ghosh at a programme in Sreerampur in Hooghly district.
''Want to work for development''
"I have joined the BJP as I want to work for the development of the state. In TMC, it was no longer possible to work for the party," he said after joining the saffron party.
Tiwari joined Bharatiya Janata Party, in the presence of BJP state president Dilip Ghosh at Sreerampore Hooghly.
Tiwari had rebelled against the Trinamool leadership and quit the party in December last year. But he was later pacified by senior West Bengal minister Arup Biswas in Kolkata and he rejoined the Trinamool camp. But sources said, Tiwari became inactive after that.
Story of Tiwari leaving TMC, coming back and again leaving
Earlier when Tiwari had left the Trinamool Congress, Union minister and Asansol BJP MP Babul Supriyo had protested against his possible entry into the saffron camp on the social media. Supriyo had posted a video saying he won't be able to accept Tiwari in the BJP, if the Trinamool leader joins the state unit.
Then Dilip Ghosh along with BJP leaders like Agnimitra Paul and Sayantan Basu had also backed the Asansol MP for his statement. Later, the BJP had served a show-cause notice to Paul and Basu for their statements on the issue as Tiwari had decided to stay back with the Trinamool Congress.
West Bengal minister Arup Biswas had then dubbed the issue as an "internal matter" and said, "It happens in a family and in every household."
Elections to the 294-member state assembly will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29.
Out of 294 assembly seats in Bengal, reserved seats for Scheduled Caste are 68 and Schedule Tribes are 16. There will be around 1.1 lakh polling booths in the state for the people to cast their vote.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
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