Kolkata: Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the BJP suffered a fresh jolt in Nandigram with Shiuli Kar, wife of Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Pabitra Kar, switching allegiance to the ruling party.
Shiuli Kar, former pradhan of Boyal-II Gram Panchayat, joined the TMC under Tamluk organisational district president Sujit Roy. Her move came hours after Pabitra Kar, once a close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, joined the TMC in the presence of national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The TMC has fielded Pabitra Kar from Nandigram, setting up a high-stakes contest against Adhikari, the BJP nominee.
Shiuli Kar said she joined the TMC to be part of the development initiatives led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Her switch is being seen as a blow to the BJP’s local strength ahead of the polls.
Observers say Pabitra Kar, once a trusted associate of Adhikari, holds considerable influence in the region.He joined the BJP during the 2021 elections.