BABUL SUPRIYO, BJP MP, DEFECTS TO TRINAMUL

Stunning his party for dropping him as a minister from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s minstry two months ago, twotime BJP MP of Asansol Babul Supriyo defected to the Trinamul Congress on Saturday.

He was inducted to the TMC by party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee in the presence of another party MP Derek O’Brien.

Supriyo’s switch has reduced the BJP MPs’ tally in the state to 17. The former minister, who lost the Assembly polls at Tollygunge, said he would meet the CM on September 20.

He is likely to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla the next day to tender his resignation.

Supriyo revealed he quit the BJP after his hope of becoming a Union minister was dashed on July 7 when he was dropped as a minister of state (MoS).