Irked over Jitendra's joining, BJP workers warn of fielding Independent candidate

Kolkata: The dramatic entry of former Asansol Mayor and two-time Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA, Jitendra Tiwari, into the BJP has not gone down well with a section of the saffron party's workers. Irked over Tiwari's joining, the workers have threatened to field Independent candidates from Pandabeshwar in West Burdwan.

The BJP workers made graffiti, citing that they would field Independent candidates. In a video message that has gone viral, the BJP workers made it clear that Tiwari should not be fielded from Pandabeshwar seat.

"While he (Tiwari) was in the TMC, he had tortured our workers. So, we will field a candidate of our choice who will be contesting as an Independent and we will vote for him," said a local BJP worker. Most of the protesting workers are old timers in the party.

Tiwari, who had rebelled against the TMC earlier, made a U-turn in December last year and returned to the party. However, two months later he finally joined the BJP ahead of the polls.

Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who is also a BJP MP from Asansol, had earlier opposed Tiwari's entry into the party. He had said Tiwari's induction would upset BJP workers. However, Supriyo welcomed his joining this time.

Meanwhile, BJP district president Sridip Chakraborty appealed to the party workers not to feel dejected with Tiwari's joining.

TMC block president Narendranath Chakraborty said: "We are ready to welcome these aggrieved BJP workers to our party. The rivalry among the old and new in the party has again come to the forefront."