KOLKATA: Over 2000 BJP leaders and workers in Asansol joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday.
Among the prominent leaders who joined TMC included Madan Mohun Chaubey, former West Burdwan district secretary of BJP. Chaubey tendered his resignation on Saturday. TMC leader Malay Ghatak handed over the party flag to the new entrants at a function at Rabindra Bhavan.
Chaubey alleged that to get tickets in the Assembly elections, the candidates had to pay hefty sums to the leaders. "I had been a BJP member for the past 28 years. Now, the party is being run from hotels and some leaders are involved in corruption. Those who cannot pay to the leaders are sidelined. After the election results were announced, we had decided to join TMC as we want to be a part of the development carried out by Mamata Banerjee."
Earlier, 8 BJP leaders from Alipurduar had joined TMC last week. Ghatak said: "After joining of the leaders, there will be no one to open the BJP party office in Asansol."
The BJP performed well in the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Asansol constituency when it took the lead in all the seven Assembly segments. However, in the 2021 Assembly election, party candidates retained Asansol South and Kulti and lost handsomely in the remaining five seats. The joining of Chaubey and others will make a deep dent in BJP's organisation in Asansol, where the MP is Babul Supriyo.
Meanwhile, Arup Das, election agent of Mukul Roy in Krishnanagar north seat joined TMC in presence of Mukul Roy at a function on Sunday.
In the past four years, Roy had strengthened BJP's organisation in Krishnanagar. After Roy joined TMC, BJP leaders and workers went on a spree to join Trinamool.
In Malda, BJP workers joined TMC after tendering unconditional apology. It may be recalled that TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee said those who had left the party would be inducted except those who had spread canard against the party during the election.