As many as 53 people, led by a BJP booth-level agent, joined the Trinamul Congress ahead of the Assembly elections in Pandaveswar Assembly constituency today.
Led by Ujjwal Roy, the BLA assigned by the BJP during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, the supporters deserted the party and received the TMC flag from district president Narendranath Chakraborty today at Baidyanathpur. Chakraborty, who has been renominated by the TMC for the seat, was in Baidyanathpur during campaigning.
Roy termed the BJP “anti-Bengal” and said people want “Didi back in power for Bengal’s all-round development”. Chakraborty said anger over the controversial SIR process had motivated the voters to trust TMC further. BJP’s Pandaveswar candidate Jitendra Tewari dismissed Roy as an unknown entity, and commented that one day Chakraborty himself might “enter the BJP”.
Nearly 100 CPI-M cadres and supporters, meanwhile, joined the TMC in Benachitty within Durgapur town yesterday in presence of Kabi Dutta, the TMC candidate for Durgapur (Paschim) seat.