Mamata govt stopping people from joining BJP, harassing them using police: Rajib Banerjee

A day after he along with four other Trinamool Congress leaders joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, former West Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government is stopping people in the state to join the BJP by harassing them using police.

"Many leaders were supposed to join today. TMC government is threatening and harassing people using police. So many people refrained from coming today. Wait for few days, not just Howrah, we will break into every district," Rajib told when asked if more leaders will join BJP in the coming days.

He said enough political dialogue has been done and he is now on the mission to ''empower the people of Bengal''.

"I will always have respect for Mamata Banerjee. Today what I am that is because of Mamata Banerjee. But I have changed the platform so my fight will be different from now onwards," the former minister said.

Rajib Banerjee, who was the forest minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, resigned from his post and primary membership of the TMC.

"We want double engine government in West Bengal. We want Bharatiya Janata Party government at both the Centre and State for Sonar Bangla," he said.

Actor-turned-politician Rudraneel Ghosh, who also joined BJP yesterday said that the TMC government has failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

"In 2011 people of Bengal changed the regime with an aspiration. But, the development has been done only to TMC leaders, not the people," he said.

Ghosh alleged that the state government has ''stolen the rights of the people''.

On Joining BJP, the actor said, "This is the change and the people of Bengal are welcoming the change. Many artists will also join the BJP in the coming days."

Former TMC leaders Rajib Banerjee, Baishali Dalmiya, Prabir Ghoshal, Rathin Chakraborty, and Rudrl Ghosh, who joined BJP on Saturday, shared the stage with Union Minister Smriti Ir, BJP vice-president Mukul Roy and party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya at a rally at Dumurjala stadium in Howrah earlier today.

Several TMC leaders including Suvendu Adhikari left the TMC to join the BJP ahead of the state Assembly elections which are expected to be held in April-May this year.

However, the Election Commission of India is yet to announce the poll schedule for the elections to 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal.

( With inputs from ANI )