Manjul Krishna Thakur now wants to rejoin the Trinamool

Within five months of his decision to quit the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former West Bengal Minister Manjul Krishna Thakur has appealed to the TMC leadership to reinstate him back in the party.

“I have made a mistake. I deeply regret what I have done. I will never do it again,” Mr Thakur who met senior TMC leadership in West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday told journalists.

The former Minister said he has appealed to Didi (party chairperson Mamata Banerjee) and is waiting for the party to decide on his fate.

It was in January this year when Mr Thakur, then Minister of Micro & Small Scale Enterprises and Textiles in West Bengal government, announced his decision to quit the TMC by saying that the party is “no longer a party for honest and good politicians” and that he was not allowed to work independently.

On Wednesday he gave a similar reason of not being allowed to work in the BJP for his decision to re-associate himself with the State’s ruling party.

After joining the BJP, Mr Thakur’s son Subrata Thakur got a ticket to contest the by-poll for Bongaon Lok Sabha seat but lost to his aunt Mamatabala Thakur, a TMC candidate.

During the day, Mr Thakur met senior TMC leaders including Firhad Hakim who said that Mr Thakur was “misguided by some people from other political parties” which led to his decision to quit the TMC.

Mr Thakur, also an MLA, has also written to Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly Biman Banerjee explaining his change of heart and that he wants to work with the TMC again. The former Minister is the younger son of Binapani Devi, the matriarch of Matua sect, a socio-religious order that has large following among the socially disadvantaged people in bordering areas of State’s North 24 Parganas and adjoining districts.

Extended Budget Session

Meanwhile the extended Budget Session of West Bengal Assembly will start from May 15, Speaker Biman Banerjee said.

He said that at least two Bills relating to higher education The West Bengal State Council of Higher Education Bill and Dental Services (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and The West Bengal State Council of Higher Education Bill, 2015, will be tabled in the upcoming session.

“I have appealed to Didi and am waiting for the party to decide fate”