In a blow to the Congress, two more of its legislators in West Bengal switched to the ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday.
Congress lawmaker Kantilal Agarwal of Islampur constituency in North Dinajpur and Hasanuzzaman Sk of Kaliagunj seat in Nadia district joined the Trinamool in the presence of its MP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Avishek Banerjee.
The duo said they have opted for the Trinamool to be a partner in the massive development initiatives taken by Chief Minister Banerjee.
Earlier, three Congress legislators - former party chief Manas Bhunia, Tushar Bhattacharya and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury - crossed over to the Trinamool.
Congress had bagged 44 seats in the April-May assembly polls in the state.
"Two Congress legislators have joined us today. With Tushar Bhattacharya, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury and Manas Bhunia joining us from Congress and Gazole legislator Dipali Biswas coming to our side from CPI-M earlier, our tally in the state assembly has gone up from 211 to 217," claimed Avishek Banerjee.
--IANS
mgr/ssp/vd
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app