1 TMC Lok Sabha Member Joins BJP: He & Another MP Expelled By Mamata Led Ruling Party

AS Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to project herself as an alternate to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Soumitra Khan, a sitting TMC Lok Sabha Member from Bengal, has switched over to BJP, her bête noire .Khan has praised PM Narendra Modi. The Trinamool Congress   on Wednesday expelled Khan and another Lok Sabha Member Anupam Hazra of Bolpur, the place noted world over due to its association with Noble laureate Rabindra Nath Thakur. Soumitra Khan has been elected from Bishnupur, an ancient and historical place Khan, a Muslim leader. He has alleged that there is “lack of democracy in ruling TMC and dynastic rule in Bengal”. Hazra who had developed serious differences with district TMC president Anubrata Mandal was expelled on charges of anti-party activities, senior leader and Minister Partho Chatterjee said.“Anupam Hazra had been indulging in activities which are against the ideals and principles of the Trinamool Congress. He had been carrying out anti-party activities on the Facebook and other places. He was expelled from the party after this issue was raised before our party chief Mamata Banerjee,” said Chatterjee. Refuting the charges against him, Hazra said “There were some issues regarding the use of FB but I deleted everything after I was asked to do so by the party. There has been no problem thereafter. Still the party has decided to level anti-party charges on me. I wonder how the party explains anti-party activities.”Hazra, a Sanitniketan professor, said there was no corruption charges against him. He sarcastically remarked “I was not involved in Narada or Sharada chit fund cases, either.”Khan the more vociferous of the two MPs cited “lack of democracy and dynastic rule,” as his reasons for quitting his party and joining the BJP. When reminded that the TMC criminal charges were being brought against him the leader said “after I have quit the party they are now trying to frame me. They have already arrested my personal assistant non false charges.”Khan , said he was ready to take any responsibility for the BJP,  which he joined in presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He met BJP president Amit Shah in the morning before joining the saffron outfit, sources said.Reacting  to Khan’s allegations  CM’’s  nephew Abhishek Banerjee , Lok Sabha Member, said  “Soumitra Khan is nothing without the Trinamool Congress. He has no credibility without the party. He cannot win even from a single booth.”Asking as to “why he did not raise these questions earlier,” Abhishek  Banerjee, nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said “first ask him to win one election single-handedly and then raise a point. This time the BJP will win not a single seat from Bengal.”Meanwhile, senior State BJP leaders said six more TMC MPs were waiting to cross the hedge and join the BJP.They are in talks with us, said Mukul Roy, former Union Minister and BJP leaders from Bengal.