Several BJP leaders write to Abhishek, likely to jump ship to TMC

Kolkata: In a bid to join the all round development in Bengal, several leaders and workers of BJP in North 24-Parganas have written to Abhishek Banerjee, expressing their willingness to join Trinamool Congress.

Banerjee addressed a rally at Ichapur Store Bazar on Thursday, in support of the Trinamool candidate for the by-election for Noapara Assembly seat. Trinamool leaders including Jyotipriyo Mullick, Arjun Singh and Partha Bhowmick, along with thousands of party workers and sympathisers, attended the meeting.

BJP Mahila Morcha leader Alorani Sarkar joined Trinamool Congress. She said many leaders and workers of BJP will soon join the party as well. She said she had decided to quit the party the day BJP inducted Mukul Roy into the party.

"Mukul Roy is allegedly involved in the multi-crore scam of Sarada and Narada. Till a few days ago, senior BJP leaders used to criticise him, but despite the allegations against him, he was taken into the folds of the party. Moreover, there is no freedom to work in BJP," she maintained.

The party leaders who have expressed willingness to join Trinamool, hail from Halishahar, Barrackpore and Kanchrapara, all of which are believed to be strongholds of Mukul Roy.

There has been resentment among some leaders in North 24-Parganas since Mukul Roy joined the party. They informed senior state BJP leaders that it will not be possible for them to work under the "tainted" Roy.

The defection of BJP workers to Trinamool before the Noapara by-election, will push BJP into the backfoot. Roy, who had thrown a challenge to Arjun Singh, Trinamool MLA from Bhatpara, saying that BJP will do well in the by-election, refused to comment on the matter.

Abhishek Banerjee in his speech urged people not to trust BJP, as the party is "trying to foment trouble in Bengal, just to stall the all-round development carried out by the Mamata Banerjee government."

He urged local people to vote for the Trinamool candidate in the by-election and thwart any attempt by BJP to destabilise society.