Ex-BJP Minister Babul Supriyo Joins TMC, Had Praised Mamata Challenger Priyanka Tibrewal In Last Tweet

Supriyo had quit BJP after recent Union Cabinet reshuffle in which he was dropped from the council of ministers.

New Delhi: Former Union MoS and ex-BJP MP Babul Supriyo formally joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien.

Supriyo had quit the BJP after the recent Union Cabinet reshuffle when he was dropped as the Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.

Announced his joining the party in a tweet, the TMC welcomed the Asansol MP's decision. 

Though Supriyo had announced that he had quit politics, after being dropped from the Council of Ministers, the BJP recently named him as one of the star campaigners for the Bhabanipur bypoll, a seat that unelected CM Mamata Banerjee seeks to win to be able to stay on the post. Banerjee, who lost the assembly polls from Nandigram against his aide-turned-BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari, needs to be elected to the state assembly before November 3.

In a September 10 tweet, Supriyo praised Priyanka Tibrewal, the BJP candidate from Bhabanipur against the CM. 

Notably, while announcing his "retirement from politics" after the Union Cabinet reshuffle, Babul Supriyo had said he would not join any other party.

Speaking about this after joining the TMC, he said he was "proud" that he was changing his decision.

"I meant it from my heart when I said I'll leave politics. However, I felt there was a huge opportunity that was entrusted to me (on joining TMC). All my friends said my decision to leave politics was wrong and emotional," Supriyo was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

He added: "I'm very proud that I am changing my decision. I am coming back for a great opportunity to serve Bengal. I am very excited. I will meet Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee) on Monday. I am overwhelmed by the warm welcome." 

Former Union MoS Babul Supriyo had first announced his decision to quit politics in a long Facebook post written in Bengali.

Supriyo had written, "I have heard everything that everybody said — father, (mother), wife, daughter, one or two close friends .. after hearing, understanding and thinking about everything, I am saying that I am not going to any other political party — TMC, Congress, CPI(M). Nowhere, I can confirm, nobody has called me also. I am a one Team player! Have always supported one team, Mohun Bagan. Have done only party BJP West Bengal. That’s it!!”

However, after a few hours, he removed the part where he wrote that he won't be joining any other party. 

Babul Supriyo had admitted in his post that the loss of his position as Union Minister of State in the reshuffle was "certainly, partially" responsible for his decision. The Asansol MP had also tweeted that "he was asked to resign", and later deleted that tweet.

Supriyo Called CM Mamata 'Cruel Lady'

The development of Supriyo joining TMC is interesting to see as he had earlier openly criticised party supremo Mamata Banerjee.

After TMC's mega win in the West Bengal assembly election, Supriyo had called CM Mamata Banerjee a "cruel lady" in a Facebook post in which he lamented how the state had brought the ruling party back to power.

“Neither will I congratulate Mamata Banerjee for her win in Bengal nor do I wish to say that I 'respect' the people's verdict, because I sincerely think that people of Bengal made a Historic mistake by not giving Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a chance & by electing this Corrupt, Incapable, Dishonest Government & a Cruel Lady back to power !! Yes, as a Law-Abiding citizen, I shall 'obey' the decision taken by the people in a democratic country.. That's it !! Nothing more - Nothing less !!,” he had posted.