In yet another setback for the BJP in West Bengal, the president of the party's Alipurduar district, Ganga Prasad Sharma, on Sunday said he will be joining the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) shortly.
While speaking to reporters, Sharma said he was "finding it hard to put up with the policies" of the BJP, and working for the people have become increasingly difficult for him under such circumstances.
"I did everything to ensure that the BJP wins the polls, and the party did bag five seats. But some of us are feeling suffocated in the party now, which is expanding in size without establishing links with grassroots workers," he told reporters.
Additionally, the recent demand of a local MP to make north Bengal a union territory has further prompted him to take the decision, Sharma said.
He also claimed that several top-level BJP leaders will also follow suit. He however refused to take names.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA and opposition leader in Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said, "Our organisation is strong in north Bengal. Ganga Prasad"s exit hardly matters."
"We will create another Ganga Prasad. Individuals don"t matter, BJP matters," he added.
