Setback for Bengal Cong as 2-time MP Benazir Noor joins Trinamool

Kolkata: Mausam Benazir Noor, Congress MP from Malda North Parliamentary constituency joined Trinamool Congress on Monday, causing a major setback for Bengal Congress.

The two-time MP met Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna and joined the party. State Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari, who looks after the party's organisation in Malda, was also present at the time of the meeting.

Inducting her into the party, Banerjee said Mausam will contest from the Malda North Lok Sabha seat in Trinamool's ticket.

Noor said she has joined Trinamool Congress because of the all-round development work carried out by Mamata Banerjee. "She is our face and on January 19 at the Brigade Parade ground, all Opposition forces came under one umbrella because of her. I shall be very happy to see her as the Prime Minister," Noor said. She said her fight will be to thwart "BJP's unholy plans for Bengal."

Reacting to Noor's wishes, Banerjee said: "It is her wish. Now our primary duty is to oust BJP from the Centre. The Prime Minister will be selected later on."

Noor won the seat in 2014 by defeating Khagen Murmu of Left Front by over 65,000 votes. Soumitra Roy of Trinamool had secured the third position.

In the 2016 Assembly election, Trinamool Congress got 211 out of 294 seats but lost two of its ministers from Malda, namely Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury and Sabitri Mitra.

But after the Assembly polls, there had been massive erosion in the mass base in Malda. The Panchayats and the Zilla Parishads are under Trinamool's control. Suvendu Adhikari has now bolstered the organisation.

There was a rumour from November 2018 that Mausam will join Trinamool Congress. Her joining will be a major setback for Bengal Congress. With her joining, the number of MPs the party will now come down to three from four. Noor is the niece of former Railway minister ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury. Her mother Ruby Noor was a Congress MLA.

With Congress fast losing its voter base, it will be difficult for the party to retain the seats of Abhijit Mukherje and Adhir Chowdhury in Murshidabad. AHA Khan Chowdhury is the other MP from Malda.

It has been learnt that many Congress workers will join Trinamool at a rally to be held on January 30.