TMC leader joins BJP

TT, Cooch Behar, Nov. 2: A state leader of the Trinamul Youth Congress joined the BJP along with his followers at a ceremony here today.

Kumar Rajib Narayan, a former Cooch Behar district president of the Trinamul Youth Congress, was handed over a BJP flag by Bengal BJP chief, Rahul Sinha, in the party office here.

According to sources, Kumar was the district president of the Trinamul Youth Congress from 2008 to 2011. After Trinamul came to power in 2011, Narayan was stripped of his post. He was replaced by Tufanganj MLA Argya Roy Pradhan.

Trinamul insiders said Narayan was known to be close to Subhendu Adhikary. “In May this year, Subhendu Adhikary was removed as the state president of the Trinamul Youth Congress by Mamata Banerjee who put her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, in his place. Narayan was made one of the general secretaries of the state committee of the Trinamul Youth Congress. Recently, Subhajit Kundu, son of the late Biren Kundu, who was chairman of the Cooch Behar municipality, replaced Roy Pradhan as the district Trinamul Youth Congress president. All these factors made Narayan leave the party,” said a party insider.

Narayan said he was no longer inspired to remain in the Trinamul Congress. “The state leaders of Trinamul think no end of themselves. They have become haughty. Moreover, the Khagragarh blast in Burdwan has made it clear that Trinamul leaders have links with subversive elements. These factors made me join the BJP and follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ideals to build a clean Bharat. About 1,500 of my supporters have also joined the BJP,” said Narayan.

Rahul Sinha said Trinamul leaders and workers had become disillusioned and were joining the BJP. “Only criminal elements like extortionists will remain with Trinamul,” Sinha said.

Trinamul district president and MLA from Natabari, Rabindranath Ghosh, said he was not worried about the development. “Kumar Rajib Narayan is of no importance to our party and his joining the BJP will not affect us at all,” Ghosh said.