Rebel Bengal TMC leader wants to join BJP

Suri: Rebel Trinamool Congress leader Hriday Ghosh, whose father was allegedly killed before last year's panchayat election in Birbhum district's Kasba village, met the district BJP leaders on Sunday and expressed his wish to join the saffron party.

Ghosh and others had fought the panchayat election as independent candidates and secured a majority in the Kasba village panchayat-board.

"We have decided to join the BJP and discussed it with the BJP leadership. The final date will be fixed after a discussion with party leaders," Ghosh said.

Confirming the development, BJP district president Dudhkumar Mondal said the final decision would be taken shortly.

Sagar Ghosh, father of Hriday Ghosh, was shot dead in his house on the eve of the election day on July 21 last year.

Forty-one persons, including Anubrata Mondal, the district president of Trinamool Congress, and sabhadhipati, Birbhum Zilla parishad, Bikash Roychowdhury, were accused in the case.