Kolkata: A BJP leader and tribal political activist along with his supporters joined the Trinamool Congress at the Trinamool Bhavan in presence of ministers Malay Ghatak and Chandrima Bhattacharya on Tuesday.
The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Chandrima said former minority morcha leader and a Dooars tribal leader Leos Kujur, who had contested the 2016 Assembly election as a BJP candidate from the Kumargram constituency, joined the Trinamool. Some of his supporters travelled with Kujur for the formal joining. Though hundreds of tribals wanted to accompany Kujur, they could not due to the COVID-19 situation.
“Many tribal leaders have been interested to join our party due to the welfare steps taken by chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the tribal people. We have earlier seen many leaders going to the tribals, eating with them and then forgetting them, but our party is not been like that,” said the minister without naming Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had twice dined at homes of tribal people in the state.
Kujur said he was with the BJP but the good work of Mamata for the tribal people and many schemes launched for their welfare made him join the TMC. “Apart from the schemes, she has declared holiday named after our leader Birsa Munda. We believe that if there is anyone who will do developmental work for the tribal people, it is Mamata Banerjee,” he said.