Former Bengal BJP vice president and a fierce critic of Mamata Banerjee --- who was last month ‘temporarily suspended’ from his party --- on Tuesday joined the Trinamool Congress in presence of the Chief Minister who promptly appointed him the State TMC vice president.
Majumdar who had been ‘temporarily suspended’ from his former party along with former State general secretary Ritesh Tewari for siding with rebel party leader and Union Minister Shantanu Thakur immediately returned the favour to the Chief Minister by comparing her with soccer star Messi.
“I have joined the TMC on the grounds of Bengali asmita (pride) … here is a woman who is carrying forward the honour of Bengal … she is undoubtedly the Messi of Indian politics and it is worth working with her,” Majumdar said.
Incidentally, Majumdar had a closed-door meeting with BJP MP Locket Chatterjee, former State committee leaders Sayantan Basu and Raju Banerjee and Tewari on Monday.
When asked to comment on Majumdar’s joining the TMC, Chatterjee said “I had tried to convince him yesterday about not taking any hasty decision but he would not listen to this … it seems some people join party for their personal benefits … it is good that he has left.”
Tewari said he would never join the TMC while both Basu and Raju Banerjee remained silent on the issue.
Curiously Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh made a suggestive statement saying though he was not privy to what transpired in the Monday’s meeting “I think it is possible that some more people may try to join the TMC because the BJP is on its way out in Bengal.”