scorecardresearch
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
Advertisement

Back in TMC after a year in BJP, ex-MLA says it’s homecoming

Biplab Mitra switched over to the BJP in June 2019 after being removed from the position because of the TMC’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. He joined the BJP in the presence of Kailash Vijayvargiya, the party’s general secretary, in Delhi.

tmc, Biplab Mitra, tmc mla Biplab Mitra, Biplab Mitra retruns to tmc, Partha Chatterjee, indian express news TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee re-inducts Biplab Mitra (centre) into the party in Kolkat a on Friday. (Express Photo)

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Biplab Mitra returned to the party fold on Friday, over a year after he joined the BJP. TMC secretary general and state minister Partha Chatterjee re-inducted Mitra into the party at an event held at Trinamool Bhavan.

A former MLA from Harirampur in Dakshin Dinajpur district, Mitra said the return was like a homecoming. His younger brother Prasanta Mitra, who is a former chairperson of Gangarampur Municipality, and other supporters also rejoined the TMC.

Mitra was part of the TMC when it was founded in 1998, and rose to become its Dakshin Dinajpur district president. He is considered to be one of the architects of the party’s rise in the district.

Advertisement

Mitra switched over to the BJP in June 2019 after being removed from the position because of the TMC’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. He joined the BJP in the presence of Kailash Vijayvargiya, the party’s general secretary, in Delhi.

Welcoming Mitra, Partha Chatterjee said, “TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had called out to those who had left the party by mistake and wanted to return to work for the people. Biplab Mitra and Prasanta Mitra have answered our leader’s call and returned. We are happy to welcome Biplab Mitra.”

Festive offer

The TMC leader added that the process of reinduction of former leaders has started.

Mitra, known to be a close aide of BJP leader Mukul Roy during his days in the TMC, said he wanted to put up a united fight against a “conspiracy” being plotted against the state. He also said there was a “gulf of difference” between the ideologies of the two parties.

Advertisement

“When I realised the difference, I stayed away from the BJP. The entire politics of the BJP is being controlled from Delhi and Gujarat. I did not join the party to get controlled from outside the state,” Mitra told reporters.

“This is not like joining a new party, I have returned home, answering Mamata Banerjee’s call. I look forward to working with everyone under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership for further development of West Bengal,” he added.

Last week, in an organisation reshuffle, the ruling party removed its Dakshin Dinajpur district president Arpita Ghosh, with whom Mitra had differences. She was replaced with Goutam Das, who is considered to be Mitra’s close aide.

First uploaded on: 01-08-2020 at 05:40 IST
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
shorts
CJI PM Modi
IndiaUpdated: March 28, 2024 19:25 IST

Hours after nearly 600 lawyers wrote to CJI D Y Chandrachud about the actions of a “vested interest group” which they alleged “is trying to pressure the judiciary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress party for "shamelessly" seeking commitment "from others for their selfish interests."

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
close