Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Thursday criticised the BJP after former Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena joined the party, alleging that leaders facing investigations often receive protection after switching sides.
Jena, a former leader of the Biju Janata Dal, formally joined the BJP on March 11 at the party’s state headquarters in Bhubaneswar along with several supporters.
The development came a day before a scheduled hearing in a Seashore chit fund scam case in which the Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against him. Earlier, Jena had resigned from the BJD’s primary membership, citing “personal causes and circumstances.” He had represented the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency after winning the 2014 parliamentary elections on a BJD ticket, but lost the seat in the 2019 general elections. According to reports, Jena joined the BJP in the presence of senior leaders of the party’s Odisha unit and said that the BJP was capable of driving development in the state.
Reacting to the development, the TMC alleged that such political shifts often coincide with ongoing investigations. In a statement on social media, the party said the episode reflects what it described as the “BJP washing machine,” where leaders facing charges allegedly see cases against them lose momentum after joining the ruling party.