In a setback to the Congress in West Bengal, its only MLA in the State Assembly has now joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Bayron Biswas, who won the Sagardighi by-poll in February on a Congress ticket, joined the TMC on Monday
In the presence of TMC National General Secretary and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, Biswas jumped ships on May 29.
Left parties also supported Biswas and it was seen as a success for the third political force in West Bengal as neither the Left parties nor the Congress won a single seat in the 2021 Assembly polls.
“The Congress has no contribution behind my victory in the Sagardighi by-election. I won the election because of my personal image among the electorates. I belong to a family which believes in the TMC’s ideology and I found the ruling party is the perfect platform to fight against the BJP,” Bayron said while talking to media persons, the New Indian Express reported.
Meanwhile, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury described the defection as a disrespect to people’s verdict. He alleged that the TMC has overturned the mandate of the people who chose a Congress leader in Bayron Biswas.
“In future, we will try to have more honest candidates,” the Congress leader said, according to The Hindu.
In the Sagardighi by-poll, the defeat was seen as a major debacle for the ruling party.
Also, the development holds major political significance as the Left parties and the Congress were aiming to replicate the Sagardighi model in other constituencies in the upcoming panchayat polls.
