Former Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Saturday joined the Trinamool Congress, led by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Two months back, Supriyo announced that he was quitting politics after the Asansol MP was asked to resign as the Union minister of state for environment.

He said he won’t join any other party but would quit politics.

Later, Supriyo amended his plans and said he would remain a Member of Parliament (MP).

“If opportunity comes your way, you should decide, and I have decided to take this,” Supriyo told media persons on Saturday after joining the Trinamool Congress.

Also read: After removal as Union minister, BJP MP Babul Supriyo quits politics

The former Union minister was listed as the BJP’s star campaigner for the Bhabanipur byelection where the BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal will contest against West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee on September 30.

After Trinamool Congress won the Assembly election 2021 and retained power in West Bengal a number of BJP leaders including MLAs shifted to Banerjee’s party.

Supriyo is the fifth prominent BJP leader to join the Trinamool Congress.

A media report quoted Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh as saying on Saturday that more BJP leaders are in talks to join the ruling party in Bengal.

“Many BJP leaders are in communication with Trinamool leadership. They are not satisfied with BJP. One (Mr Supriyo) joined today, another wants to join tomorrow. This process will go on. Wait and watch,” ANI quoted Ghosh as saying.

Supriyo joined the Trinamool Congress in the presence of party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien.

In July this year, former Union minister Supriyo in a Facebook post said: “I am going…Alvida (Goodbye…) Heard everything from everyone – Father, (mother) wife, daughter, two dear friends… I say after listening to everything, I am going…’Stayed for some time’… Kept some mind and broke some… Somewhere I may have made you happy with my work, somewhere I am disappointed | You will not evaluate.”