Babul Supriyo was the former Union Minister and two-time BJP MP from Asansol. It was on Saturday that he joined the Trinamool Congress leaving BJP behind. Mr. Supriyo visited the office of Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. It was after visiting that he joined the ruling party.
On July 31st 2021, Babul Supriyo announced on social media that he will resign as MP. He also added that he will stay away from active politics. Later he added that he will continue as MP. After joining TMC, Mr. Supriyo told the journalists that the party leaders gave him a great opportunity and he has decided to take it up.
Suporiyo said, “It was with great disillusionment that I had announced that I will quit politics. A great opportunity has been extended by Didi (Mamata Banerjee) and Abhishek Banerjee and I am happy to accept that.” There has been a rumor in the political circles that Trinamool may nominate Mr. Supriyo to the Rajya Sabha. He would be a replacement for Arpita Ghosh who had quit the Upper House on Wednesday, 15th September.
In 2021, Babul Supriyo lost the Assembly poll from Tollygunj on the BJP ticket. He resigned as the Union Minister of the state during the Cabinet reshuffle in July. It was after this time that he started expressing discontent towards the party leadership. He said that they did not give him enough responsibility. He said, “I was expecting something more after seven years as a Union Minister of State. Then the differences started growing with the party.”
Mr. Supriyo was elected to the Lok Sabha from Asansol in 2014 as well as 2019. The defection came weeks before the crucial Bhabanipur by-poll. The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee is contesting there. The BJP had nominated Mr. Supriyo for the seat among the star campaigners. He said, “Mamata Banerjee needs no campaign but if the party considers me, I will be happy to campaign in Bhabanipur.” The TMC tweeted, “Today, in the presence of National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and RS MP Derek O’Brian, former Union Minister and sitting MP Babul Supriyo joined the Trinamool party.”
Earlier the BJP had received a blow when Mukul Roy quit the party. He then went on to join TMC, the same as Babul Supriyo did. At least 4 MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party have joined Trinamool Congress in the past four months. State BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharyya said, “Babul Supriyo has cheated the people of Asansol and also proved that his entire aim was to remain a Minister and enjoy the power.” Leaders like MP Jagannath Sarkar and a section of the party said that the BJP should give tickets only to those who are committed to its ideology and not to outsiders.
According to the Trinamool Congress leadership, the BJP organized mass defections from the party before the Assembly polls. They even sent a charter plane to ferry them to Delhi. So, they cannot criticize these defections.
