Congress’ Kirti Azad, Pavan Verma & Ashok Tanwar of JD(U) join TMC

Nov. 23: Congress leader Kirti Azad, Former JDU general secretary Pavan and Ashok Tanwar on Tuesday joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday in Delhi this evening in the presence of Mamata Banerjee. The induction of these leaders are significant moves as Ms Banerjee slowly expands her party’s national footprint in order to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP in 2024.

Taking to its twitter handle, TMC in a series of tweets wrote, “We are elated to welcome Shri  @PavanK_Varma into our Trinamool Congress family. His rich political experience will help us serve the people of India and take this nation forward to even better days!” 

Today was a very special day for the Trinamool Congress family!

Our Chairperson @MamataOfficial briefly interacts with everyone who joined us to strengthen the fight against all autocratic forces. pic.twitter.com/477OLfQb9J

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) November 23, 2021

In another tweet TMC wrote, “Cricketer-turned-politician, Shri  @KirtiAzaad joined our Trinamool Congress family today, in the presence of our Chairperson @MamataOfficial and our National General Secretary @abhishekaitc. We welcome him warmly and look forward to working together in this new journey!”

TMC further wrote, “Today, former @INCIndia MP Shri Ashok Tanwar joined the Trinamool Congress family in the presence of @MamataOfficial & @abhishekaitc. As a prominent face in Haryana and an experienced politician, we are certain that together we shall ensure the welfare of all people.” 

The Trinamool Congress family keeps getting bigger!

We warmly welcome everyone who joined us today. Hear from our Chairperson @MamataOfficial 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/O5WOxi23S4

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) November 23, 2021

Kirti Azad – a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Bihar’s Darbhanga seat – praised Ms Banerjee as someone who can “fight for the country on the ground” and for providing India with “a new direction”. Kirti Azad is a member of India’s 1983 cricket World Cup-winning squad, who was earlier with the BJP. However, he was suspended after openly targeting then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged corruption in the Delhi cricket association.

Pavan Varma was one of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s closest aides before he and master poll strategist Prashant Kishor were sacked in January last year over disagreements with their boss over the controversial citizenship law.