TMC MLA, party leaders join BJP

Trinamool Congress MLA Wilson Champramary and several other party members, including president of a local body from Dakshin Dinjapur, joined the BJP on Monday as the saffron party continued to poach on the leaders of the West Bengal's ruling party.

The TMC leaders joined the BJP at the latter's headquarters in the presence of its senior leaders, including Mukul Roy, its West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh and its national general secretary Kailash Vijarvargiya, who is in charge of its state affairs.

Champramary, a three-term MLA, represents Kalchini constituency in the state's assembly.

Roy described the TMC leaders joining the BJP as an "earthquake", saying almost all members, including its chairperson Lipika Roy, of a local body joined the party.

Several TMC MLAs have joined the BJP after the saffron emerged as a strong challenger to the state's ruling party by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats of the total 42 there.