Speakers on E-Rickshaws, BJP Workers’ Public Apology to Bengal

As TMC rebels line up to join back in Mamata’s party, the BJP grassroot workers have now taken to express their remorse for backing the BJP in the Assembly elections. The workers from Labhpur, Bolpur and Sainthia in Birbhum district to Dhaniakhali in Hooghly district use public announcement systems atop e-rickshaws declaring that they have misunderstood the BJP.

A report in The Indian Express said that BJP, however, alleged that the TMC “intimidation” tactics were behind the public apologies.

Earlier BJP’s former national vice-president Mukul Roy returned to TMC on Friday. The next day, former Minister Rajib Banerjee, who had joined BJP before assembly polls, met Trinamool Congress’ state general secretary Kunal Ghosh at the latter’s residence on Saturday fueling speculations of his return to TMC.

However, Banerjee termed the meeting a courtesy call and defended his recent social media post criticising BJP. “I came to North Kolkata to meet an ailing relative. Since Kunal Ghosh, my senior brother and a long time friend, resided nearby, I called him up and met him… There was no political discussion. I have some reservations about certain issues. I stand by it and have already told my party about it,” said Banerjee.

The report said that BJP workers are now apologising to the TMC in public meetings. “We were persuaded by the BJP. It is a fraudulent party. We have no alternative to Hon’ble CM Mamata Banerjee, and we want to be part of her development programme,” a public announcement system in Bolpur’s ward no 18 proclaimed.

Another group of 300 BJP workers returned to the TMC fold after taking oath in Sainthia. “We had gone to the BJP by mistake. We are joining the TMC from today to support Mamata Banerjee’s development work.”

Mukul Mandal, a BJP worker, said that he misunderstood the BJP and wants to join back TMC.

Meanwhile, BJP workers in Dhaniakhali were allowed to start a new innings after a public apology to TMC activists for their “arrogant behaviour”. But, the Hooghly BJP leaders claimed their workers were forced to join the TMC.

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