Several Bengali actors including Dipankar Dey join Trinamool Congress ahead of state Assembly polls

Ahead of the state Assembly polls, Bengali actors Dipankar Dey, Bharat Kaul and Lovely Maitra and musician Shaona Khan joined the Trinamool Congress in the presence of the West Bengal Minister Bratya Basu at Trinamool Bhavan here on Friday.

"Many youths across West Bengal want to join TMC. Some artists who are thinking to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are doing wrong. BJP insults its own local leaders in Bengal. The local leaders have no power to induct people. For this, leaders from Delhi are flown by chartered flights," Basu said.

On BJP's Rath Yatra scheduled to start from Nadia tomorrow, Basu said, "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu endorsed humty and love. They (BJP) will spread hatred and division."

BJP president JP Nadda will visit Sri Sri Gauranga Janmasthan Ashram at Nabadwip and will flag off a statewide 'Parivartan Yatra' from Nadia.

West Bengal Assembly Elections for 294 seats are scheduled to take place later this year.

( With inputs from ANI )