BJP MLA from West Bengal’s Matua belt joins Trinamool

In a jolt to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha poll, Mukut Mani Adhikari, a party MLA from the Matua belt in West Bengal’s Nadia district, joined the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday.

Mr. Adhikari, who represents the Ranaghat Dakshin constituency for the BJP, expressed his dissatisfaction with the party’s decision to repeat sitting MP Jagganath Sarkar from Ranaghat. “I think the TMC is the only platform where you can work for the masses. So I decided to join them,” he said.

During a TMC rally in Kolkata, Mr. Adhikari was spotted walking alongside Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary of the party, further solidifying his move to the party.

“When BJP leaders leave their antiwomen party and extend support, you know that you are on the right side of history. Standing tall for women’s rights through thick and thin!”

Adhikari becomes 8th Oppn. MLA to join ruling party since declaration of 2021 Assembly poll results

the TMC posted on ◣.

This shift is not an isolated incident. Mr. Adhikari becomes the eighth MLA to switch sides to the TMC since the announcement of the Assembly poll results in May 2021.

Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition, highlighted allegations of domestic violence against the Ranaghat Dakshin MLA, painting him as an ironic choice for a TMC rally celebrating International Women’s Day.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Shankudeb Panda attributed its MLA’s departure to his aspirations for a Lok Sabha ticket from the Ranaghat parliamentary constituency. Ranaghat holds significance due to its large Matua community representation, similar to the Bongaon area in North 24 Parganas district. The Matua community’s cohesive voting behaviour has made it a crucial voting bloc.