West Bengal assembly election: TMC's senior leader Arindam Bhattacharya, Aditya Birla Group VP join BJP

Senior Trinamool Congress leader Arindam Bhattacharya on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, months ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections. Bhattacharya who was elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) on a Congress ticket had later joined TMC. He expressed, "I was elected on Congress symbol but extended support to TMC so that development happens but it didn't."

New Delhi: In another blow to Trinamool Congress (TMC), senior leader Arindam Bhattacharya on Wednesday (January 20, 2021) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), months ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections. Arindam Bhattacharya joined the saffron party in the presence of senior BJP leaders at its headquarters in New Delhi.

Bhattacharya who was elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) on Congress ticket had later joined TMC. He expressed, "I was elected on Congress symbol but extended support to TMC so that development happens but it didn't."

Shri Arindam Bhattacharya joins BJP in presence of senior BJP leaders at BJP headquarters in New Delhi. #JoinBJP pic.twitter.com/hjXTJAPDlT — BJP (@BJP4India) January 20, 2021

BJP's national general secretary and in-charge of West Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya was also present.

LIVE: An eminent personality joins BJP at BJP headquarters in New Delhi. #JoinBJP https://t.co/pn7zH46YHo

— BJP (@BJP4India) January 20, 2021

On the other hand, the Aditya Birla Group VP Ranjan Banerjee has also joined BJP in Kolkata. 

He said, "I thank BJP for giving me this opportunity to serve the people of the state. We need to bring industries here so that people can get employment."

Notably, about a month ago, TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari had joined BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal was also hit hard when another Trinamool Congress leader Jitendra Tiwari resigned from the party, months ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election 2021.