Former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Babul Supriyo joined the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal on Saturday. He announced that he will be giving up his Lok Sabha seat from Asansol constituency.
Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien inducted Supriyo into the party.
The former BJP leader said he had quit active politics after he was dropped as a Union minister from Narendra Modi’s Cabinet during a reshuffle in July. Supriyo had the said he would soon also resign as the Asansol MP.
However, two days later on August 2, Supriyo announced that he would continue to work as an MP.
“I meant it from my heart when I said I will leave politics,” Supriyo said, according to ANI. “However, I felt there was a huge opportunity [joining TMC] that was entrusted upon me. All my friends said my decision to leave politics was wrong and emotional.”
He said that he was proud of changing his decision and was excited to serve the residents of West Bengal. However, Supriyo said that he would not hold on to his Lok Sabha seat from Asansol constituency.
“Didi [Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee] and Abhishek [Banerjee] have given me a great opportunity,” he said. “As I have joined TMC, there is no point in holding on to my seat in Asansol. I’ve come into politics because of Asansol. I will do for that constituency as much as possible.”
Supriyo will meet Mamata Banerjee on Monday.
The singer-turned-politican had said that his removal from the Union Cabinet had some role to play in his decision. He also admitted that there was infighting in the BJP ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year.
He is the fifth BJP leader to join the Trinamool Congress after the Mamata Banerjee-led party won the state Assembly elections this year.
Former BJP leader Soumen Roy returned to the Trinamool Congress on September 4. Biswajit Das joined the Banerjee-led party on August 31, while Tanmay Ghosh switched sides a day before that.
Another BJP leader, Mukul Roy, had returned to the Trinamool Congress on June 11.
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