CPI(M) veteran joins BJP in Siliguri

Kolkata: Shankar Ghosh, veteran CPI(M) leader, joined BJP in Siliguri on Friday. Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP national secretary and in-charge of party's Bengal unit handed over the party flag to Ghosh and welcomed him to the party.

Ghosh was recently expelled from CPI(M) after he criticised the party for its alliance with the Indian Secular Front (ISF).

He told the party leaders that because of the alliance party's poll prospects would be badly hit. He was a councilor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

After joining, Ghosh said he would work for the BJP in Siliguri.

He said he would never forget the role of Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling who had contacted him after he was expelled from the CPI(M).

Earlier, Mafuja Khatun, former CPI(M) MLA had joined the BJP.

She was the first ever Muslim woman candidate of BJP who had fought the 2019

Lok Sabha elections from Jangipur.