Chandra Kumar Bose (Source: ANI photo) Chandra Kumar Bose (Source: ANI photo)

Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declassified the first set of 100 files relating to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Delhi, Netaji’s grand nephew Chandra Kumar Bose formally joined the BJP on Monday at a rally in Howrah district of West Bengal where party national President Amit Shah addressed a gathering. This comes a day after Shah was appointed president of the party for a three-year term.

READ | Subhas Chandra Bose’s grand-nephew joins BJP in Amit Shah’s presence

Sources in the BJP said that although Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had released Netaji files held by the state about four months earlier, it was the BJP which had thought to rope in Chandra ahead of the polls. Chandra, in all likelihood will be given an MLA ticket by the BJP. Chandra didn’t admit this but nor did he rule out the possibility. He said that he had joined the party and whether or not he would contest the elections would be for the party leadership to decide.

With Sugata Bose, another grand nephew of Netaji, already an MP of Mamata’s Trinamool Congress, the BJP saw this as an opportunity to cash in on the Bose name too. Sources in the TMC say that Chandra’s joining the BJP will not have an impact on the TMC.

On the sidelines of the BJP event, Chandra, after briefly praising for Mamata releasing Netaji files to the public, said that it was the misrule of the TMC in Bengal that needed to be fought.

Asked if he would campaign against Mamata, someone he has shared the dais with until very recently, he said that his joining the BJP was not against any individual. The political fight was issue-based, he said.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Explained News, download Indian Express App.