Ahead of Assembly polls, another TMC leader dons saffron robes

Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, another TMC leader Jitendra Tiwari joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Tiwari, a two-time MLA from Pandabeswar in Paschim Barddhaman district and former Asansol mayor had rebelled against the TMC leadership last year too.

Hooghly: Amid an ongoing exodus from the ruling Trinamool Congress ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, two-time party MLA from Pandabeswar in Paschim Barddhaman district and former Asansol mayor, Jitendra Tiwari, joined the BJP on Tuesday.

Tiwari, who had rebelled against the TMC leadership but had mellowed down after the BJP declined to induct him into the party in December last year, joined the saffron camp in the presence of party state chief Dilip Ghosh at a programme in Sreerampur in Hooghly district.

"I have joined the BJP as I want to work for the development of the state. In TMC, it was no longer possible to work for the party," he said after joining the saffron party.

He further said, "My feelings were suppressed for two years in the party and now I will be able to speak my heart out."

Elections to the 294-member state assembly will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29.

(With PTI inputs)