Another set-back to BJP as Ashish Das shaves his head and quits BJP

Kolkata : BJP Legislator from Tripura Ashish Das was in touch with Trinmool Congress for months. On Tuesday shaved his head, took a dip in the Ganga and offered prayers at Kalighat’s Kali temple close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s home, saying he was performing an act of atonement before joining West Bengal’s ruling party.

Earlier, BJP MLA, who reached Kolkata, described Mamata Banerjee as the ‘real leader of mother, soil, manush’ of Bengal and said that it would be a matter of pride for every Bengali if she becomes the prime minister in future. Das said that Mamata Banerjee has become the real leader of Maa, Maati, Manush. His massive victory in the recent Bhawanipur by-election is another testament to his immense popularity among the people of Bengal.

The TMC is trying to make inroads in Tripura and its leaders, including national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, have been lately visiting the state. The young TMC Lok Sabha MP has announced that his party will oust the BJP government in the 2023 assembly polls.

In Kolkata, Ashish Das told reporters that he, like many others back in Tripura, had put his faith in the BJP to end the “misrule of the Left Front government” led by Manik Sarkar. But it was a mistake, he said.

“I will keep my head shaved till the BJP government is ousted in 2023. Today, I took a dip in the Ganga and offered prayers at the Kalighat temple because joining the BJP was a crime,” said Das. 

“The problem in Tripura arises not because of Biplab Deb alone. BJP’s national leaders keep visiting states in the north-east but they have done nothing to solve problems people face in this region,” Das added.

Das had a meeting with Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday afternoon and he is likely to join the TMC on Wednesday, TMC leaders in Kolkata said.

BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh promptly took a dig at Ashish Das. “We will see how he goes through his penance in the TMC,” he said.

Like Dakshineswar, the Kalighat temple is among the most famous temples of Kali and top BJP leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah, offered prayers there before the March-April assembly polls. Shah’s wife visited Kalighat as well.

Role of Bengal in the independence of the country

Das said that though Bengal played a stellar role in the struggle for the country’s independence, it did not get the recognition it deserved in the political arena over the years. He said that if Mamata didi becomes the Prime Minister then it will be justice to Bengalis and will correct the mistake of decades. It will be a matter of pride for all Bengalis. Also, after Indira Gandhi, a woman will take over the power in the country.