Arjun Singh Returns to TMC

Kolkata: Days after criticising the Union Government over its jute policy and upset over not being able to work freely in Bengal, BJP MP from Barrackpore Arjun Singh returned to the Trinamool Congress on Sunday. Singh joined the party in presence of TMC’s National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee at his Camac Street office in Kolkata. After joining the TMC, Singh said: “The way Trinamool Congress is working on the development of Bengal is worth appreciating. I am from the jute mill area and the people there have been suffering because of the Centre’s unjust policies. BJP is limited to Facebook and other social mediums. It is not possible to do politics only on Facebook. Working on the ground is important in Bengal and the BJP is losing out on that as their leaders are sitting in air-conditioned rooms.”

Reacting on Singh joining the TMC, BJP National Secretary Anupam Hazra said, “If someone wants to do politics for his personal benefit, what can we say about it. However, it is a huge loss.”

“It’s old understanding between the BJP and TMC. Modi’s people will join Didi and Didi’s people will join BJP. All the corrupt people of Didi’s party will eventually return,” Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

One of the prominent Hindi-speaking leaders of the TMC, Singh had joined the saffron camp ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, and went on to win from the Barrackpore LS seat.

The BJP unit in the state has been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former Union minister Babul Supriyo and five legislators, including national vice-president Mukul Roy, switched over to the TMC since the assembly poll results last year. Several senior TMC leaders like Rajib Banerjee and Sabyasachi Dutta, who had joined the saffron camp, too, returned to the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

Singh has been targeting the Centre, alleging that it was neglecting the jute industry of West Bengal. He had softened his attacks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, keeping the speculation rife about him returning to the TMC. high about him joining the party. He had even threatened to hit the streets if the issue of jute price capping was not resolved. After meeting several central leaders over the issue in Delhi over the issue. Jute Commissioner had revoked his decision.

The Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency has a strong presence of Hindi-speaking people who mostly work in the jute mills. Arjun Singh, heavyweight leader of the area was elected to the assembly four times on Trinamool ticket. Before 2019, Lok Sabha election, he joined BJP and defeated heavyweight Dinesh Trivedi in a closely fought contest. Since Lok Sabha polls the Barrackpore constituency witnessed several incidents of violence and fights between supporters of BJP and TMC.