Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee greets BJP MLA Suman Kanjilal after he joined Trinamool in Kolkata on February 5, 2023. , Photo Credit: PTI
In another blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, a party MLA joined the Trinamool Congress on Sunday.
Suman Kanjilal, who represents the Alipurduar seat in north Bengal, joined the Trinamool Congress in the presence of party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the latter’s office in Kolkata. Mr. Kanjilal was elected on a BJP ticket in the 2021 assembly elections. The MLA had differences with a section of BJP leaders, including Alipurduar MP John Barla. Mr. Kanjilal said that he is unable to work for the people as a member of the BJP Legislature.
More than half a dozen BJP MLAs have joined the Trinamool Congress since the 2021 assembly elections. Due to the defection of the MLA, three MLAs from North Bengal have joined Trinamool. Earlier, two North Bengal MLAs Krishna Kalyani from Raiganj assembly seat and Soumen Roy from Kaliganj assembly seat had joined the ruling party of the state.
The BJP has a relatively better influence in north Bengal, and the MLA’s defection ahead of the panchayat elections holds political significance. Trinamool sources have claimed that several other BJP MLAs are in touch with the party leadership. Interestingly, since 2011, none of the MLAs who joined the state’s ruling party have lost their assembly membership.
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee hinted at a defection when he said the party would open its doors a little before the rural polls.
Two killed in explosion in Birbhum
Meanwhile, two people, including the brother of a Trinamool Congress village head, were killed in an explosion at Margram in Birbhum district. The blast happened late on Saturday night. One person died in Saturday’s blast, while another succumbed to his injuries at a government hospital on Sunday. Over the past few weeks, crude bomb blasts have been reported in various parts of the state.
Birbhum Superintendent of Police Narendra Nath Tripathi was transferred after the blast. Bhaskar Mukherjee will be the new SP of Birbhum.