Kolkata: Arjun Singh, a Member of Parliament from Barrackpore, has once again decided to switch parties after being denied a ticket by the TMC for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Arjun Singh announced on Thursday his intention to join the BJP, stating, “I am joining the BJP. I am heading to Delhi today. I am committed to serving the people and will contest from Barrackpore.” When asked about assurances of a ticket from the BJP, he responded, “Barrackpore means everything to me. I’ll await the party’s announcement.”
Arjun Singh targeted TMC candidate Partha Bhowmick, stating, “I will commence campaigning from Naihati. I will question the influential acquisitions of properties by Sheikh Shahjahan with someone’s influence. There was already an MLA in Sandeshkhali; why was this particular MLA sent there during tense times?”
If Arjun Singh joins the BJP this time, it will mark his fourth party switch. He was initially with the TMC but joined the BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, defeating Dinesh Trivedi fielded by the TMC. However, Singh later returned to the TMC. He has been a TMC MP for the past one and a half years.
Singh, a significant figure in the Barrackpore industrial belt, won the 2019 election by a margin of 14,857 votes. The Barrackpore constituency has a notable presence of Hindi-speaking individuals, many of whom are employed in the jute mills. Singh had previously been elected to the Assembly four times on TMC tickets.
His decision has been met with skepticism and criticism. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya remarked, “With 107 cases against him and being labeled a traitor, he joined the TMC. Now he claims to join the BJP.” BJP leader Falguni Patra stated, “Whether he is accepted by the party workers or not will be decided by the central leadership. He was trusted once, and then he went to the TMC.”
TMC MP Santanu Sen commented that individuals switching parties after failing to secure a poll ticket would not be welcomed in West Bengal.
The Assembly segments within the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency include Noapara, Jagatdal, Naihati, Bhatpara, Amdanga, Barrackpur, and Bijpur.
State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar clarified, “While we maintained contact with Arjun Singh, the decision to field him from Barrackpore rests with the central leadership.” The BJP’s initial list of candidates released on March 2 did not include any name for Barrackpore, but sources suggest Singh may be fielded from there.
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