Congress leader Kirti Azad on Tuesday joined Trinamool Congress in Delhi in presence of West Bengal chief minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee.
While joining the party, Mr Azad said, "It makes me happy to say that under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, I'll work for the development of the nation. Today, a personality like her is needed in the country who can show the country the right direction."
Kirti Azad - a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Bihar's Darbhanga seat - praised Ms Banerjee as someone who can "fight for the country on the ground" and for providing India with "a new direction".
Azad is a member of India's 1983 cricket World Cup-winning squad, who was earlier with the BJP. However, he was suspended after openly targeting then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged corruption in the Delhi cricket association.
Notably, his defection to the Trinamool Congress comes hours after former JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Pavan Varma joined the party in the presence of Mamata Banerjee.
Former JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Pavan Varma joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Tuesday.
Pavan Varma was one of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's closest aides before he and master poll strategist Prashant Kishor were sacked in January last year over disagreements with their boss over the controversial citizenship law.
Notably, Mamata Banerjee is in Delhi till Thursday, and is expected to meet with opposition leaders to chalk out a strategy to take on the BJP during the winter session of Parliament, which begins next week.
Much of the focus during this session will likely be on the repeal of the controversial farm laws, which PM Modi said last week would be repealed. Passed last year, the laws triggered furious protest by farmers nationwide - protests backed by opposition parties including the Trinamool.
