Justice Abhijit Gandopadhyay also popularly known as "people's judge" for his "exemplary" and "time-induced" judgments in the cash-for-school-jobs cases sending a bevy of senior Trinamool Congress politicians including ministers, MLAs and top officials to jail on Tuesday resigned and announced his decision to join the BJP.
In what could broaden the smile on the saffron party's face desperately in hunt for a "credible face," the Judge soon after his retirement said he had decided to join the BJP as he thought "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a good man and the BJP is the only national party that sincerely fights corruption."
Speaking to the media the Judge said, "I am joining the BJP … on March 7." When asked to comment on whether he would contest in the Lok Sabha elections he said "I will inform from which seat I will contest (Lok Sabha polls)" adding quickly "or if my party decides to use me in some other way without fielding me I will do accordingly."
Saying that he was responding to the Trinamool Congress' challenge that "instead of using his Chair for gaining popularity he should contest politically," Justice Gangopadhyay said, "as they had challenged me to contest polls I am here and I will contest against them."
On why he chose the BJP he said, "I think he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is a good man … He is trying to do something for our country … and the BJP is the only national party that is fighting against corruption." About the Left he said "I could have joined the CPI(M) but I would not do that as they are non-believers and I am a believer in God and perform Pujas … I also did not join the Congress because they are a party that has become the zamindari of a single family."
About the TMC he said that party would not last too long as "they are crumbling from within and will not last till 2026."
While the BJP leadership remained largely silent with a few of them like their Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya welcoming him to the outfit saying his presence would enrich the party, the TMC said the "Tuesday's judgment" only exposed the Judge and "confirmed our argument" that all his judgments were politically motivated.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "he has exposed himself … now our contention that his judgments were all motivated by his political ambition is coming to be true … he used his chair for his personal ambitions … the fact that he joined the BJP soon after his retirement raises questions on whether he was in touch with the BJP during in chair or else how could he confirm his entry in the BJP within hours of his retirement."
CPI(M)'s Sujan Chakrabarty said, Justice Ganguly has lost all his credibility and good name as an honest Judge among the hapless youth who failed to get their jobs due to corruption … he has done a big disservice to them by strengthening the TMC's argument that he was giving his judgments from a political view point… he will soon come to know that the BJP is the most corrupt party in the country."
Congress' Adhir Chowdhury too said that Justice Gangopdahyay would soon understand where he had gone. "Now they are welcoming him to utilize his name for gaining their own credibility because the BJP is party full of corrupt and opportunistic people … He will soon realize that … besides his joining the BJP will make it clear that his act was one of political opportunism," he said.