Former CPIM MLA and 3000 of his followers join BJP in West Bengal

About 3,000 CPIM activists under the leadership of former party MLA, Nikunja Paik on Thursday joined the BJP at a function held at the BJP state party headquarters here.

Apart from Paik, senior CPIM leaders from South 24-Parganas district like Ayus Mollah, Haradhan Gayen and Madan Mohan Kayal also joined the BJP, the party's state president Rahul Sinha said on Thursday. He also said that Sourav Garg, a Trinamool Congress leader from East Midnapore district, also joined their party during the day. ""Garg is a member of Mahishadal rajbati family and an active Trinamool Congress leader of East Midnapore,"" Sinha added.

""Thousands of political activists in rural Bengal belonging to Trinamool Congress, Congress and CPIM are now frustrated with their respective leadership and silently shifting their loyalties to our party. We hope that before the next panchayet elections in our state, we would be able to strengthen our support base in rural Bengal as many disgruntled workers from all the three parties are joining us everyday,"" Sinha claimed.