If one person leaves, I will prepare 500 more: Mamata Banerjee

A day after 12 TMC councillors and legislator Sunil Singh joined the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday reacted sharply saying she does not want thieves in her party.

"TMC is not a weak party. I don't care if 15-20 councillors leave the party after accepting money. If party legislators want to leave the party, they can. We don't want thieves in our party. If one person leaves, I will prepare 500 more," Bengal Chief Minister said while addressing her party councillors.

On Monday, TMC leaders joined the BJP in the presence of senior leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy.

"TMC party members are joining the BJP in large numbers. Mamata Banerjee has ruined West Bengal's peace by propagating violence, that's why her party members are now leaving her side and joining our party," Mr Vijayvargiya had said.

West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said, "The tension between BJP and TMC in West Bengal is escalating. TMC leaders started joining our party at the beginning of Lok Sabha polls and even during the elections. Since then, many leaders have joined the BJP."

In May, three TMC party legislators including Shubrangshu Roy, son of Mukul Roy, along with 63 municipal councillors, had joined the BJP.