Babul Supriyo joined TMC to evade coal theft, cow smuggling cases: BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar

New Delhi [India], September 19 (ANI): BJP MP from West Bengal's Ranaghat Jagannath Sarkar on Sunday alleged that former Union Minister Babul Supriyo joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to evade the allegations of his involvement in the coal theft and cow smuggling cases.

"A month ago, Mamata didi had said that a Union Minister is involved in coal theft and cow smuggling case. She was talking about Babul Supriyo. He had first said that he is retiring from politics then suddenly he left the BJP, a party that is in power at the Centre only to join a regional party," Sarkar told ANI.

"Now the question is why did he go to TMC? He has joined the TMC because the Union Minister who is associated with coal theft and cow smuggling cases is Babul Supriyo, so he has joined the TMC for his own survival, to escape these cases," he added.

The BJP MP further alleged that Supriyo joined the TMC to evade the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

"Had Babul Supriyo not joined TMC, whatever documents the TMC has with them, it would have given them to ED. So he must have done this to evade the ED," Sarkar said.

"He has joined the TMC because he can earn a lot of money through coal smuggling, cow smuggling, illegal coal mining, and sand mining," said Sarkar.

Stating that TMC leader Arpita Ghosh recently resigned from the Rajya Sabha, Sarkar said that TMC may send former Union Minister Babul Supriyo to the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Arpita.

Sarkar's remarks came after former Union Minister and ex-BJP MP Babul Supriyo on Saturday formally joined Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Supriyo had quit the BJP following the recent Union Cabinet reshuffle. Sitting MP Babul Supriyo joined the Trinamool family in the presence of National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien.

Earlier in August, BJP leader Babul Supriyo said he will continue to work constitutionally as a Member of Parliament but has withdrawn himself from active politics.

"I will continue to work constitutionally as an MP in Asansol. Politics is beyond the constitutional post and I withdraw myself from it. I will not join any other party. I will vacate the MP bungalow in Delhi and release security personnel from their duties soon," Supriyo had told ANI.

Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader Supriyo had announced he was leaving politics and will also resign as an MP. He had stated that he would not join any political party and neither have the parties including the Trinamool Congress, CPI(M) or Congress had called him.

Babul Supriyo had resigned in August as minister of state for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. In a Facebook post, he said that there was a difference of opinion between him and the state BJP leaders and that the difference of opinion among senior leaders was "harming the party". (ANI)