Former BJP leader Babul Supriyo joins TMC after 'quitting' politics

Making a u-turn one and a half months after announcing that he would "quit politics" and not join any other party, former Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Saturday joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in presence of the national general secretary of the party Abhishek Banerjee and MP Derek O’ Brien.

“Today, in the presence of National General Secretary @abhishekaitc and RS MP @derekobrienmp, former Union Minister and sitting MP @SuPriyoBabul joined the Trinamool family. We take this opportunity to extend a very warm welcome to him!” TMC tweeted.

Speaking to reporters, the Asansol MP said he changed his decision of quitting politics because of the great opportunity to serve the people of Bengal and asserted that there was no “politics of revenge” involved.

"I am very proud that I am changing the decision and coming back because of a great opportunity to serve Bengal. I am a workaholic,” said Supriyo.

The singer-turned-politician also said that his decision to quit politics was due to “disillusionment” and there was “drama in it".

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“When I said that I would quit politics, I said it from my heart. I was totally disillusioned. I felt that there was a full stop on the seven years of hard work which I have done for the people of Bengal... This is the reason why I decided to quit politics,” said Supriyo.

He added that he took the decision to join TMC in the last four days.

"I started speaking to O’Brien recently regarding the admission of my daughter in a school... Then Didi and Abhishek made me feel that there was huge opportunity and faith that was being entrusted upon me,” said Supriyo.

Indicating his displeasure at being dropped from the Centre and only being made a Minister of State (MoS), Supriyo sarcastically said "everyone knows what kind of power an MoS has".

He was dropped from the Union Cabinet on July 7. However, Babul, who won from the Asansol constituency on a BJP ticket, is yet to resign from his post.

He said that he will “obviously resign” from his MP post and there was “no question of clinging to the seat” which he won on a BJP ticket.

Supriyo said that he will meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday.

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Reacting to the development senior TMC MP Sougata Roy said, "It shows that if one has to be active in politics in West Bengal, he or she has to be under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. There is neither present nor any future for the BJP. Soon only their State president Dilip Ghosh will be left in the party.”

State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya lashed out at Babul saying "Now it’s clear that his only goal is to become a Minister. When he was dropped from the Union Cabinet he felt betrayed. He has betrayed the people of Asansol."