Kolkata, March 24 Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress leader and former MLA Arghya Roy Pradhan joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday.
Rajbanshi leader Banshibadan Barman, associated with the Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) faction and one of the key figures in the Greater Coochbehar movement, also joined the BJP at the party's state headquarters here.
The two joined in the presence of BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Welcoming the new entrants, Bhattacharya expressed confidence that the induction of the two leaders would strengthen the party's organizational base in north Bengal and positively impact its electoral prospects.
Pradhan, once a prominent face of Trinamool Congress in Cooch Behar, had been elected MLA from Tufanganj in 2011 and from Mekhliganj in 2016.
Pradhan told reporters at the BJP state headquarters, "I joined this party today because I could not continue in a party that compromises with corruption."
"It is not possible to work in such an environment or remain accountable to the people. I feel proud to be associated with the BJP and will work for it in the coming days," he said.
Barman, on his part, said the Rajbanshi community has a distinct culture and language that has not received adequate attention.
"The central government has assured support for the development of our community. Their policies and ideals have inspired us to extend our support to the BJP," he said.
Senior Congress leader Santosh Pathak had joined the BJP on Monday.