Chandan Mitra joins Trinamool Congress; former Rajya Sabha MP resigned from BJP four days ago

Former Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra has joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC). West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee made the announcement on Saturday while addressing the Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata.

The news comes days after Mitra resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 17 July. Although there were rumours in political circles that the two-time Rajya Sabha MP was likely to join TMC, Mitra was tight-lipped about the speculation. “I have given my resignation, but I have not decided whom I will join, or when. I am not going to disclose that,” he had told ANI on Wednesday. Mitra was believed to have been unhappy for being sidelined after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah tightened their hold on the party and its decisions. The former Rajya Sabha MP made his displeasure evident on a number of occasions as he has not held back from criticising the BJP. He was quoted saying by The Indian Express that the BJP did not pay enough attention to sugarcane farmers, after the saffron party was defeated in the Kairana bypoll in May. Mitra served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from August 2003 to 2009. He was elected to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh in 2010. Mitra also contested the West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 but lost.