New Delhi: Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim on Thursday (September 23) said that a "big BJP leader" will join the ruling party in West Bengal soon.
Busy campaigning for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the September 30 Bhabanipur by-poll, Hakim, a senior minister in state cabinet, said, “Trinamool Congress is checking the antecedents, track record and image of each BJP leader who has made overtures to TMC leaders and is deciding on his/her appeal after due deliberation.”
Hakim’s hint of more possible cross overs comes amid former union minister Babul Supriyo, BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy and three BJP MLAs switching over to Mamata Banerjee’s party. After recently defecting to TMC, Supriyo projected the West Bengal CM as the PM face in 2024. "I want that the captain of our party Mamata Banerjee becomes the Prime Minister in 2024. Opposition plays an important role in a democratic system. Nobody can deny the fact that Mamata Banerjee is among the top frontrunners for the prime ministerial post," the former Union minister said.
"The process of returning has only started," Hakim told reporters on possible cross overs.
"Wait for a few more days. A big time BJP leader is all set to join our party ... BJP will disintegrate in West Bengal,” PTI quoted him as saying.
Reacting to Hakim's claim, BJP spokesman Shamik Bhattacharya said: "TMC should think about ethics and ideology before trying to poach BJP leaders".
"Those not interested in power and position, but love BJP will not leave," Bhattacharya added.
New BJP state president Sumit Majumder urged disgruntled party leaders to discuss their grievances with their seniors. "Don't take any decision which will weaken the fight for people's democratic rights in Bengal," he said.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of TMC, said if his party keeps its door open, the saffron party will collapse, claiming that BJP leaders, mostly MLAs, have been queuing up at the TMC office. "We have kept the doors closed. If the doors are opened, the BJP will surely collapse," he said addressing a rally at Murshidabad district's Samserganj constituency.
(With agency inputs)
