By Express News Service
KOLKATA: Twenty-four hours after welcoming Trinamool Congress’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on a dais, the former MLA of the ruling party in Dhupguri joined the BJP on Sunday, three days before a by-election in the north Bengal Assembly constituency.
The defection of Mitali Roy, who contested in the 2016 Assembly elections and bagged the seat, appears to be a jolt to the ruling party hours before the by-poll.
Dhupguri Assembly seat fell vacant on July 25 with the demise of incumbent BJP MLA Bishnupada Roy. The by-election to the seat will be held on BJP’s turf in Bengal along with six Assembly constituencies in five states. The counting of votes will be held on September 5.
Mitali, who lost to BJP’s candidate in the 2021 Assembly elections, was seen not only sharing the stage with chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew on Saturday but also welcoming Banerjee by placing a piece of designed cloth on his shoulders.
Elaborating on her decision, Mitali said she had decided to stay away from political events after the 2021 Assembly elections. “But I was repeatedly asked and pressurised to be present at the Abhishek Banerjee’s event and campaign for TMC’s candidate. I didn’t do it from the core of my heart. I took the decision of joining the BJP last night,” she said.
“Inspired by the country’s development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mitali joined the BJP. She found the BJP is the only political force that can carry out works for the country and Bengal’s development,” said BJP’s state president Sukanta Majumdar who handed over a party flag to Mitali in an event in Dhupguri on Sunday.
The TMC, however, said Mitali’s defection would not have any impact on the by-election. “She joined the BJP after she was denied a ticket in the by-election. The people of Bengal voted for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It will not make any difference whether she is with our party or not,” said TMC minister Firhad Hakim.
Jalpaiguri and north Bengal turned out to be BJP’s bastion in the 2019 general elections as the party bagged seven out of eight Lok Sabha seats in the region.
In the high-octane Assembly elections in 2021, the saffron camp too performed impressively by bagging 30 out of 54 Assembly seats in the north Bengal region.
KOLKATA: Twenty-four hours after welcoming Trinamool Congress’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on a dais, the former MLA of the ruling party in Dhupguri joined the BJP on Sunday, three days before a by-election in the north Bengal Assembly constituency.
The defection of Mitali Roy, who contested in the 2016 Assembly elections and bagged the seat, appears to be a jolt to the ruling party hours before the by-poll.
Dhupguri Assembly seat fell vacant on July 25 with the demise of incumbent BJP MLA Bishnupada Roy. The by-election to the seat will be held on BJP’s turf in Bengal along with six Assembly constituencies in five states. The counting of votes will be held on September 5.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Mitali, who lost to BJP’s candidate in the 2021 Assembly elections, was seen not only sharing the stage with chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew on Saturday but also welcoming Banerjee by placing a piece of designed cloth on his shoulders.
Elaborating on her decision, Mitali said she had decided to stay away from political events after the 2021 Assembly elections. “But I was repeatedly asked and pressurised to be present at the Abhishek Banerjee’s event and campaign for TMC’s candidate. I didn’t do it from the core of my heart. I took the decision of joining the BJP last night,” she said.
“Inspired by the country’s development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mitali joined the BJP. She found the BJP is the only political force that can carry out works for the country and Bengal’s development,” said BJP’s state president Sukanta Majumdar who handed over a party flag to Mitali in an event in Dhupguri on Sunday.
The TMC, however, said Mitali’s defection would not have any impact on the by-election. “She joined the BJP after she was denied a ticket in the by-election. The people of Bengal voted for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It will not make any difference whether she is with our party or not,” said TMC minister Firhad Hakim.
Jalpaiguri and north Bengal turned out to be BJP’s bastion in the 2019 general elections as the party bagged seven out of eight Lok Sabha seats in the region.
In the high-octane Assembly elections in 2021, the saffron camp too performed impressively by bagging 30 out of 54 Assembly seats in the north Bengal region.
