Kolkata, March 17 (IANS) A BJP leader, from Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s Nandigram constituency, joined the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday in the presence of the party’s General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

According to party insiders, Pabitra Kar is all set to contest the Assembly polls from Nandigram on a Trinamool ticket against Adhikari.

“In the presence of our Hon’ble National General Secretary Shri @abhishekaitc, Shri Pabitra Kar, former BJP leader from Boyal-I Gram Panchayat under Nandigram-II Block in Purba Medinipur, joined the Trinamool Congress family today,” the Trinamool said in a X post.

The party said that Kar is not satisfied with the BJP in West Bengal and therefore decided to join the ruling party in the state.

“Dissatisfied with BJP’s anti-people stance, he has chosen to stand firmly beside @MamataOfficial and work in the true spirit of Maa-Mati-Manush for the welfare of the people. We extend a warm welcome to him and look forward to his dedicated service to the people,” the party said.

The development came a day after the BJP announced that Adhikari would contest the Assembly elections in the state not only from his own Nandigram constituency but also from Kolkata’s Bhabanipur constituency, represented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

If Banerjee contests from Bhabanipur again, it will mark the second time that she will be pitted against Adhikari after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Adhikari was elected as a legislator from Nandigram for the second consecutive time in 2021, defeating Banerjee.

Later, Banerjee was elected from Bhabanipur in a by-election and retained the post of Chief Minister for the third consecutive term.

Meanwhile, there has been no immediate reaction from the BJP over the development. It is also not clear whether the party would take any action against Kar for defecting to the Trinamool ahead of the Assembly election.

–IANS

sch/vd