Trinamool Congress strongman and four-time MLA from West Bengal Arjun Singh crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday, boosting the saffron party’s prospects in a state where it is locked in a bitter turf war with Mamata Banerjee’s ruling party.
Singh was inducted into the BJP in the presence of party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and West Bengal BJP leader Mukul Roy
Addressing reporters at the BJP office, Arjun Singh said that he was “shocked” at TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s comments following the barbarous Pulwama terror attack.
“I gave 30 years to Mamata Banerjee. I was shocked at her comments on the Pulwama terror attack. Her statement has shaken the country.
“When the Indian Air Force carried out the strike, she demanded the body count of terrorists. If a leader does not have national interest on her mind then she cannot do any good to her voters,” Singh told media.
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“I personally feel that there is nothing called good or bad in politics. Rajniti (politics) means ‘Samjhauta’ (compromise). People were angry with the sitting MP because of his disconnect with them. Therefore, I have expressed my desire to contest from Barrackpore. Today, I am happy to announce that I have joined the BJP,” Singh was quoted by media as saying.
Singh, a four-time MLA from Barrackpore, may be pitted by the BJP against TMC strongman Dinesh Trivedi in the Lok Sabha polls, reports have said.
It is being said that Singh was miffed at Banerjee for not giving him a ticket in the upcoming elections. Singh is the latest entrant to the BJP from a rival party. In Delhi today, Congress leader Tom Vadakkan joined the BJP with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in attendance.
Tom Vadakkan told media, “I left Congress party because when Pakistani terrorists attacked our land, my party’s reaction to it was sad, it hurt me deeply. If a political party takes such a position that is against the country then I’m left with no option but to leave the party.”
Earlier, expelled TMC leader Anupam Hazra joined the BJP which has set its sight on getting a large number of seats in West Bengal in the Lok Sabha polls due in April. West Bengal goes to polls in seven phases. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.