Rajib Banerjee rejoins TMC after seeing his 'error'; terms Mamata as 'Mother India'

Seeing the 'error' in his ways, TMC-turned-BJP leader Rajib Banerjee rejoined Trinamool Congress on Sunday in Agartala. Welcomed by TMC leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Sushmita Dev, Banerjee raise slogans 'Mamata Banerjee zindabad!' and 'Trinamool Zindabad!', terming the Bengal CM as 'Mother India'. Banerjee had lost to TMC's Kalyan Ghosh from Domjur in the Bengal Assembly polls with a margin of over 42,000 votes. With Banerjee's exit, 5 BJP MLAs and 1 MP has joined TMC post-May.

Rajib Banerjee rejoins TMC

"Mamata Banerjee is Mother India. I made a mistake, I admit it. I decided out of anger. I am ashamed, I am sorry," said Banerjee. Along with Rajib Banerjee, BJP's Tripura MLA Ashish Das also joined TMC. The Mamata Banerjee-led party which is eyeing an entry into Tripura was not allowed to hold a rally at  Agartala's Tagore Centenary Hall after local police cancelled its permission. Upon getting relief from Tripura High court, Abhishek Banerjee is attending the rally and welcomed the new joinees.

Recently, Banerjee's elevation as a "special invitee" to the BJP National Executive Commitee had reopened resentment in the party's West Bengal unit. Taking to Twitter, former WB BJP president Tathagata Roy lamented the fact that Banerjee was given such an important position at a juncture when he is seeking to rejoin TMC. He asserted that the state unit was not even consulted on the ex-minister's appointment. Apart from Banerjee, several WB leaders including MPs Jayanta Roy, Swapan Dasgupta, Roopa Ganguly and Debasree Chaudhuri are invitees to the National Executive.

Rajib Banerjee's TMC overtures

Days after his poll loss, Banerjee took to Twitter to condemn BJP's criticism of Mamata Banerjee writing 'There has been enough criticism'. He wrote, "People will not take kindly to it if, for the sake opposing a government elected with huge popular support, threats of Delhi and Article 356 (President's rule) are used at the drop of a hat", opposing BJP's continual demand for President's rule in the state after post-poll violence. He also met with  TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh after Mukul Roy returned to TMC and was elevated as its National Vice-President.

On January 30, Rajib Banerjee along with Baishali Dalmiya, Prabir Ghoshal, Rathin Chakraborti, and Rudranil Ghosh joined BJP in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah at his Delhi residence. Rajib Banerjee quit TMC, his cabinet post as Forest minister and his MLA stating that he was not being able to work for the 'people of Bengal' and that he was being attacked personally in Trinamool. In May, Mamata Banerjee retained West Bengal winning 213 seats and restricting BJP to mere 77 seats - dealing a big blow to the saffron party.