Battle For Bengal: Hours After Quitting As MLA & Days After Quitting Mamata Cabinet, Rajib Banerjee Resigns From TMC

Banerjee, who was an MLA from the Howrah Domjur assembly constituency, earlier thanked the people of West Bengal for giving him an opportunity to serve the state and promised to stand up the expectations of his voters.

Trinamool Congress leader Rajib Banerjee, who recently exited the West Bengal cabinet, carries a photograph of CM Mamata Banerjee after resigning from the post of MLA, in Kolkata, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 | PTI

Hours after quitting as an MLA from the West Bengal assembly, Rajib Banerjee on Friday dealt yet another blow to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as he quit from the party ahead of the state assembly elections. Earlier in the day, Banerjee met West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee and tendered his resignation as an MLA.

This comes ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled rally at Dumurjala stadium ground on January 31. There were earlier speculations that Banerjee may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during Shah’s rally.

Banarjee, who resigned as the West Bengal Forest Minister on January 22, earlier kept all guessing on his future political plans.

“I resigned from the post of MLA today. I am still a member of the party. But I am not yet mentally prepared to take a step. I believe to do good for the people, party affiliation is necessary for dynamic democracy. I will tell you of my decision in the coming days,” Rajib Banerjee told the media this afternoon.

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Banerjee, who was an MLA from the Howrah Domjur assembly constituency, thanked the people of West Bengal for giving him an opportunity to serve the state and promised to stand up the expectations of his voters.

“It is with my sincere gratitude that I am resigning as a member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Serving for the people of West Bengal has been my life’s greatest achievement, I am gratified for what has been accomplished during nearly 10 years of my term," Banerjee wrote on his social media page.

“I deeply appreciate the confidence you have placed in me. I also thank the people of Domjur constituency for believing in me and I promise to stay beside you all and work for your and Bengal's betterment in the future to come,” he added.

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The BJP and TMC have been at loggerheads in the run-up to the West Bengal assembly elections. Several TMC leaders, including political heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, quit the party earlier and joined the BJP.