Former TMC MLA Suvendu Adhikari along with 9 other legislators join BJP

Dec. 19: In a major jolt to the ruling Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, many leaders have resigned from the party and have now joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Suvendu Adhikari joined Bhartiya Janata Party in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah. The brewing discontentment in the party may adversely impact the TMC’s prospects in the assembly polls due in April-May next year.

Apart from Shuvendu Adhikari, 9 MLAs from TMC, CPM, CPI, and Congress joined the BJP in today’s meeting.  TMC’s Burdwan East Lok Sabha MP, Sunil Mandal; former minister Shyama Prasad Mukherjee; former Lok Sabha member from north Bengal’s Alipurduar, Dasrath Tirkey; and 15 civic body councillors of the TMC and other parties also joined the BJP  along with at least 20 district-level leaders on Saturday.

The party has vowed that the saffron wave will surge in the upcoming polls in the state and Bhartiya Janata Party will secure 200 seats. Former TMC MLA Suvendu Adhikari echoed Amit Shah and stated that only Bhartiya Janata Party is concerned about the people. Mamata Banerjee has accused the Bhartiya Janata Party of poaching her party’s leaders. She, however, said that it is good that rotten elements are leaving TMC on their own.