BJP ropes in cabinet ministers to win West Bengal ANI | Updated: Dec 19, 2020 17:40 IST
By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): Ahead of the state assembly polls in West Bengal scheduled for next year, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to deploy several of its senior cabinet ministers to take on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC).
With Union Home Minister Amit Shah already on a two-day visit to the state, the party is soon likely to finalise tours of several of its ministers to West Bengal, a few of whom have already started working. The tour of Shah is seen as a game-changer. As many as 11 MLAs, one former and one sitting MP of TMC are set to join BJP today.
NEW DELHI: At a time when the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is facing desertions, the Supreme Court on Friday stopped the West Bengal government from letting loose the police against the deserters and other political rivals by stopping arrest of BJP MPs Kailash Vijayvargiya, Mukul Roy, Arjun Singh and others, against whom it has lodged dozens of FIRs.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy heard senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Mahesh Jethmalani for the petitioners, who claimed that ever since some leaders quit TMC and joined BJP, the West Bengal police had registered dozens of frivolous cases against them even when TMC activists were the ones who caused violence against them and their supporters.
When polls come, Didi will be all alone: Amit Shah mid-day.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mid-day.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Highlights
MLA Silbhadra Datta sent his resignation to Mamata by email.
Suvendu Adhikari and Jitendra Tiwari have also quit TMC.
NEW DELHI: In yet another major setback for Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal ahead of the next year assembly elections in the state, MLA Silbhadra Datta has tendered his resignation from the party.
According to reports, Datta, TMC MLA from Barrackpore assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas, tendered his resignation from the party on Friday (December 18). He sent his resignation to Trinamool Congress chief and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by email, triggering speculation that he may join a long list of party leaders who have either joined the BJP or is willing to go ahead of the assembly elections, likely in March-April.
Two more TMC MLAs quit party, West Bengal speaker rejects Suvendu Adhikari s resignation citing House rules
WB Speaker Biman Banerjee says he has not accepted Adhikari s resignation as it does not conform to the provisions of the Constitution and the rules of the House.
TMC rebel Suvendu Adhikari
Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections scheduled for next year, Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been rocked by several high-profile exits in recent days, including ministers in the state cabinet and two legislators.
On December 18, two MLAs, Shilbhadra Dutta and Banasree Maiti, quit the party and speculations are rife that most of these leaders might jump ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).