Jolt to West Bengal BJP as LS MP Arjun Singh returns to TMC

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 22

In a setback to the BJP in West Bengal, Lok Sabha member from the Barrackpore constituency Arjun Singh today joined the state’s ruling TMC.

“This is to inform all that today Arjun Singh joined the All-India Trinamool Congress family in the presence of our national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee,” the TMC said. “People across the nation are suffering and they need us now more than ever. Let’s keep the fight alive!” Banerjee, nephew of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, said.

Banerjee had a meeting with TMC legislators from North 24 Parganas district before accepting Arjun back into the party fold.

Arjun Singh, who was a four-time TMC MLA (2001-2019) from the Bhatpara constituency, joined BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after the TMC refused to give him ticket from the Barrackpore seat. Addressing a press conference, Arjun explained that Centre’s indifference to jute industry in West Bengal was the main reason for his quitting the BJP.

Fifteen of the remaining 50 mills in Bengal stopped operations permanently, Arjun said. Jute farmers and mill workers were both in a precarious situation, he added. Arjun’s son Pawan Kumar Singh continues to remain BJP MLA from Bhatpara.

Second BJP LS member to join Trinamool

• Arjun Singh had joined the BJP just ahead of Lok Sabha polls in 2019 and won from the Barrackpore seat
• He is the second BJP LS member from West Bengal to have joined the TMC
• Earlier, Babul Supriyo resigned from his Asansol Lok Sabha seat and later became MLA from the TMC ticket from Ballygunge

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