BJP nominee meets TMC leader, fuels speculation of rejoining party

BJP Lok Sabha candidate Anupam Hazra who switched over from Trinamool Congress met Anubrata Mondal of the Trinamool Congress. The meeting sparked speculations of Hazra joining the TMC.

Kolkata: A BJP Lok Sabha candidate, who had switched over from the Trinamool Congress last month, met a senior leader of the state's ruling party on Monday, fuelling speculation over his return to the TMC and leaving the BJP red-faced.

Anupam Hazra, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate in Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency in the city where polling would be held on May 19, called on Anubrata Mondal, the TMC's Birbhum district president, at the latter's party office.

Polling in two seats of Birbhum district was held on Monday in the fourth phase.

The BJP said the party will seek an explanation from Hazra who had won the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Bolpur seat in Birbhum district on TMC ticket.

"Anubrata Mondal is the last word in Birbhum district. I came to offer condolences on the demise of his mother, Hazra said, describing the TMC strongman as his "uncle".

Asked whether he will rejoin the TMC, he said only time will tell that.

Mondal said he exchanged pleasantries with Hazra but did not wish him victory in the Jadavpur seat.

"If he accepts his mistake, he may come back to us. I can make him MP again. I can speak to (TMC supremo and state chief minister) Mamata Banerjee about it, Mondal said.

Hazra joined the BJP last month. He was expelled from the TMC for anti-party activities.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said he will talk to Hazra about it.

"He has said it was a courtesy visit. But it would have been better had he met Anubrata Mondal on some other day.

In our party, we have discipline and we all have to maintain that," Ghosh said.