Two days after he quit the Trinamool Congress, former party MLA Tapas Roy on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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The five time MLA was welcomed in the BJP by State party president Sukanta Majumdar and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. After switching sides Tapas Roy said that the Trinamool has become a party of the likes of Sheikh Shahjahan.
Mr. Roy had also expressed his displeasure against veteran Trinamool leader and Kolkata Uttar MP Sudip Banerjee. Speculations are rife that Mr. Roy will contest from Kolkata Uttar seat on a BJP ticket. “I have joined the BJP today, as I want to fight against the misrule and atrocities of the Trinamool,” Mr. Roy said.
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The BJP leaders who welcomed Mr. Roy said that his presence will strengthen the BJP.
He had also expressed his sadness that Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee did not stand by him when his residence was raided by the Enforcement Directorate on January 12 over alleged irregularities in municipal recruitment.
Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee shared a photograph of the former Trinamool leader greeting the BJP leadership with folded hands and said that Mr. Roy had joined the saffron party after his house was raided by the ED.
“The @BJP4India ’s ‘WASHING MACHINE’ saga continues as @TapasRoyAITC swiftly joins the ANTI BENGAL Gang within 2 months of the ED raiding his house. This IMAGE is a testament of the BJP’s TREATMENT of the people of Bengal, reinforcing why they are often referred to as ZAMINDARS,” Mr. Banerjee posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Former Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay who resigned as a judge on Tuesday is expected to join the BJP on Thursday. Justice Gangopadhyay may also be fielded by the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.