Major Blow To CM Mamata Ahead Of Bengal Polls, Pandabeswar TMC Legislator Jitendra Tiwari Joins BJP

Tiwari had rebelled against the Trinamool leadership and quit the party in December last year. But he was later pacified by senior West Bengal minister Arup Biswas in Kolkata and he rejoined the Trinamool camp. But sources said, Tiwari became inactive after that.

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Barely a few weeks before the West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress legislator from Pandabeswar in West Burdwan district and former Asansol Municipal Corporation mayor Jitendra Tiwari on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of state BJP unit president Dilip Ghosh.

Tiwari had rebelled against the Trinamool leadership and quit the party in December last year. But he was later pacified by senior West Bengal minister Arup Biswas in Kolkata and he rejoined the Trinamool camp. But sources said, Tiwari became inactive after that.

"I have decided to join the BJP as I want to work for the development of my region. It was getting more and more difficult to work in the Trinamool Congress," Towari said at a rally in Hooghly's Sreerampore after joining the BJP.

Earlier when Tiwari had left the Trinamool Congress, Union minister and Asansol BJP MP Babul Supriyo had protested against his possible entry into the saffron camp on the social media. Supriyo had posted a video saying he won't be able to accept Tiwari in the BJP, if the Trinamool leader joins the state unit.

Then Dilip Ghosh along with BJP leaders like Agnimitra Paul and Sayantan Basu had also backed the Asansol MP for his statement. Later, the BJP had served a show-cause notice to Paul and Basu for their statements on the issue as Tiwari had decided to stay back with the Trinamool Congress.

West Bengal minister Arup Biswas had then dubbed the issue as an "internal matter" and said: "It happens in a family and in every household."

Elections to the 294-member Assembly will be held in eight phases, from March 27 to April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.