In a major setback for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) just two days before the bypoll, former TMC MLA Mitali Roy joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday.
Roy won the Dhupguri Assembly constituency in Jalpaiguri in North Bengal in 2016 but lost to BJP's Bishnupada Roy in 2021 election. Due to the sudden death of the BJP MLA in July this year the bypoll is necessary.
After detecting to the saffron camp, Roy said that she was under pressure by the TMC.
"I didnt want to campaign for the bypoll. I was given tremendous pressure for campaigning. Only then I have decided to defect to BJP. Moreover, BJP is in power at the center and it will be helpful for me to develop the place," said Roy.
Incidentally, Roy was present at TMC national secretary Abhishek Banerjee's rally at Dhupguri on Saturday and in less than 24 hours after attending Banerjee's rally, the former TMC MLA had defected to the BJP.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar who was present during Mitali's joining claimed that with he r joining BJP, the saffron camp will 'strengthen' in that area.
Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said, "The defection from TMC to BJP and otherwise is common."
The bypoll in Dhupguri Assembly constituency is scheduled on September 5 and the counting is on September 8.
