Former BJP leader Babul Supriyo joins TMC

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 18 (ANI): Former Union Minister and ex-BJP MP Babul Supriyo on Friday formally joined Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Supriyo had quit the BJP following 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.

"We take this opportunity to extend a very warm welcome to him!" said TMC.

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in August, BJP leader Babul Supriyo said he will continue to work constitutionally as a Member of Parliament but has withdrawn himself from active politics.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