The former TMC MP from Ranaghat in Nadia, Sucharu Halder, joined the BJP Sunday citing the ‘anti-national stand’ of the ruling party over the Burdwan explosion as the reason. An MP from 2009 to 2014, he joined the BJP in the presence of Nadia BJP president. “After the Burdwan blast, the stand which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took was purely anti-national and something which I cannot stand. She left no stone unturned in trying to stop the NIA probe. Other than a handful of MPs, most of the TMC MPs are largely involved in corruption,” he said, adding that he found BJP the most civilised party. His son, Sushanta Ranjan Halder, who is married to the eldest daughter of magician and BJP leader P C Sorcar, joined the BJP as well. “He had been appointed president of West Bengal Council of Vocational Education and Training and then later was removed without any apparent reason,” Sucharu said. State BJP leaders said there were many other leaders who are set to join the party. “People are tired of TMC’s hooliganism and corrupt practices and now the unearthing of the Saradha scam has led them to believe that it was the beginning of their end. Workers who are genuinely interested in working are welcome in the party,” said Ashim Sarkar, BJP’s state general secretary.
