The BJP Monday took control of the South Dinajpur Zilla Parishad in West Bengal from the TMC, its first in the state, after majority of its members, besides an MLA, switched sides.
In a jolt to the TMC in South Dinajpur district, veteran leader Biplab Mitra also joined the BJP.
Mitra who was considered to be one of the architects of the Trinamool Congress in the district in north Bengal, was shunted out as the party's district president after the Lok Sabha polls.
Besides Mitra and 10 of the 18 members of South Dinajpur Zilla Parishad, TMC MLA Wilson Champramary joined the BJP at its headquarters in Delhi.
Champramary who represents the Kalchini constituency in Alipurduar district joined the BJP in the presence of its senior leaders, including Mukul Roy, West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh and its national general secretary Kailash Vijarvargiya, who is in charge of its state affairs.
Champamary is the fifth TMC MLA to have joined the BJP recently. One legislator each of the CPI(M) and ...
