'If Mamata didi can leave me why can't I?' TMC MLA Sonali Guha set to join BJP

Ahead of West Bengal Assembly elections, another Trinamool Congress MLA Sonali Guha said she is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The four-time MLA from Satgachia in South 24 Parganas, Guha decided to switch after her name was not mentioned in the first list of TMC candidates for the ensuing Bengal polls.

"If Mamata didi can leave me so why can't I? I called up Mukul Roy and said that I won't contest elections but need a respectable post. He agreed. I will definitely join BJP," said Guha.

Over 20 ministers and MLAs have been dropped from TMC candidacy for the upcoming Assembly elections. These include big names like those of the state's Finance Minister Amit Mitra, Land Minister Abdul Rajjak Molla and Agriculture Minister Purnendu Basu.

The incumbent TMC has announced the list of 291 candidates for the 294 seats in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and left three seats for its ally Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on March 6.

The three ministers were dropped from the candidate list due to their age and the threat of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes in the state will take place on May 2.

( With inputs from ANI )