Ahead Of West Bengal Election 2021, Former BJP Leader Yashwant Sinha Joins Trinamool Congress

Kolkata: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha joins Trinamool Congress in a press conference in TMC Bhawan. He was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party before he quit the party on 21 April 2018.

Kolkata: West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee (L) hands over the party flag to former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha (R) after he joined Trinamool Congress Party ahead of West Bengal Assembly Elections, in Kolkata, Saturday, March 13, 2021. (PTI Photo)

Kolkata: Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha has joined Trinamool Congress on Saturday. He was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party before he quit in April 2018.

Speaking at the press conference, the former Finance Minister said: "The country is facing an unprecedented situation today. The strength of democracy lies in the strength of the institutions of democracy. All these institutions including the judiciary have become weak now".

Yashwant Sinha was inducted into TMC in the presence of leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien.

Remembering his experience of working in the saffron party during former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership, Sinha added: "BJP during Atal Ji's time believed in consensus but today's government believes in crushing and conquering. Akalis, BJD have left the BJP. Today, who is standing with BJP?"

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Yashwant Sinha has held several important profiles under BJP-led central governments. He served as Minister of Finance between 1990 to 1991 (PM Chandra Shekhar's cabinet) and between March 1998 to July 2002 under the leadership of then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was also the Minister of External Affairs till May 2004.

Talking about the decision to join Trinamool Congress, Yashwant Sinha stated that "The tipping point was the attack on Mamata Ji in Nandigram. It was the moment of decision to join TMC and support Mamata Ji".

Meanwhile, the report sent by the West Bengal government to the Election Commission over the alleged manhandling case does not mention the claim of attack by "four-five" people, sources revealed. However, the presence of a large crowd at the scene has been mentioned. The Chief Secretary has been asked to provide more information by Saturday evening.