Kolkata, December 19: Former West Bengal state transport minister Suvendu Adhikari joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The switchover was officiated at the rally led by Shah in Midnapore, as the BJP escalated its campaign for the 2021 assembly elections.

Suvendu, a senior member of the state-ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), resigned as the Minister earlier this month. He submitted his resignation as Member of the Legislative Assembly earlier this week, while announcing his exit from the Mamata Banerjee-led party. Bengal Will Never Bow Its Head Before Murderers of Mahatma Gandhi, Says CM Mamata Banerjee.

Shah, while hailing Suvendu's decision to join the BJP at the Midnapore rally, said he stood up against Mamata as she deviated from the ideology of "Maa, Maati aur Maanus" to "nepotism and appeasement politics".

11 MLAs Join BJP in Presence of Shah

Adhikari, after being inducted into the BJP, appealed the people of West Bengal to vote out Mamata in the forthcoming polls. "The economic condition of West Bengal is in a very bad state. If the state has to be salvaged, its reins need to be handed over to Prime Minister Modi," he said.

A total of 11 MLAs, from Trinamool, Congress and CPI(M) joined the BJP today. An MP and a former lawmaker also switched ranks. According to Shah, the rebellion led by Suvendu will intensify in the days to come. More defections of leaders who are inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership will join the BJP in th days to come, he claimed.

"I can foresee a tsunami in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections. We are going to win over 200 assembly seats," said the Home Minister, adding that the "sentiment of change" is evidence across all parts of the state.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2020 03:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).