TMC MP Arjun Singh returns to BJP, Dibyendu also follows suit
Almost 20 months after Arjun Singh severed ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join Trinamool Congress, the Barrackpore MP on Friday returned to BJP. Dibyendu Adhikari, Trinamool Congress MP from Tamluk and brother of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also joined the BJP with Arjun Singh in New Delhi in presence of BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Dushyant Gautam.
While Arjun Singh’s return to BJP was triggered by the Trinamool Congress denying him ticket from Barrackpore and fielding State’s Minister Partha Bhowmick from the seat, he chose to rake up the law and order situation and Sandeshkhali unrest to justify his return to the BJP.
“I had distanced myself from the party (BJP) in the interest of my supporters who were at the receiving end of the violence after post poll violence in 2021,” Mr. Singh said. He alleged that the Trinamool Congress wants to continue its regime with the help of administration and goons and remains indifferent to the suffering of the people.
All eyes are on now whether the BJP will field Mr. Singh from Barrackpore or not. Even in the BJP there are murmurs against fielding of Arjun Singh from Barrackpore.
‘Dibyendu not in race’
Dibyendu Adhikari who had represented the Tamluk constituency for the past 10 years, also raised the issue of Sandeshkhali to target his former party. Suvendu Adhikari had ruled out that Dibyendu Adhikari was in race for any Lok Sabha seat from West Bengal. The BJP has fielded Soumendu Adhikari, another brother of Suvendu Adhikari from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat.