Salimpur II Gram Panchayat members back to TMC

Kolkata: The members of Salimpur II Gram Panchayat in Hooghly who had joined the BJP returned to the Trinamool Congress.

Senior party leader Firhad Hakim welcomed them back to the party at a function in Kolkata on Friday afternoon.

Around 20 party leaders including Sanjit Adhikari (Pradhan of Salimpur II Gram Panchayat), Jhuma Karak (Upa Pradhan), Rama Chakraborty, Sumanta Ghosh, Sutapa Kushari and Nandita Samanta all members of the GP rejoined the Trinamool.

It may be recalled that the members of Krishnapur and Rammohanpur Gram Panchayats who had earler joined the BJP came back to Trinamool Congress on Wednesday.

Hakim said after the result of the Lok Sabha election was declared, BJP had unleashed a Reign of Terror in vast areas of Arambag and Khanakul in Hooghly taking advantage of the situation. As the law and order was under the control of the Election Commission of India (ECI) till May 28, the state government could not do anything.

These Trinamool leaders were taken to Delhi and forced to join the saffron party at gunpoint. But soon they realised their mistake and got in touch with Trinamool officials. "Trinamool Congress is in the heart of these workers and they can never work under BJP leaders," Hakim said and added: "No party can function by terrorizing their workers. The workers can work if they are respected and loved by the party leaders."