Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) charm offensive over its former leaders continued as yet another made a return from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a rally in Tripura’s Agartala on Sunday.

Rajib Banerjee, a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee govt in West Bengal, rejoined the party he left ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

While addressing a public gathering in Agartala, he said he “repents” for joining the BJP despite being asked by the West Bengal chief minister not to leave TMC.

“I realised that I cannot accept the politics of hatred and divisive ideology propagated by BJP. I cannot accept the anti-people policies of the BJP,” he said.

“I had often aired my opinions to the BJP leadership and criticised the personal attack and slander on Mamata Banerjee but no one listened,” he added.

Banerjee claimed that he left the TMC due to misunderstanding, and joined the BJP being swayed by its blitzkrieg ahead of the polls.

“All these promises were lies and I cannot be a party to them anymore. I am sorry and repentant now. I will work under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee,” he added.

Rajib joined the party in the presence of TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

He was named BJP’s national executive committee member weeks ago and unsuccessfully fought the Assembly polls from Domjur in Howrah district.

Banerjee was not seen in any BJP programme after the election results were announced on May 2, and has often criticised the BJP leadership publicly.

Other than Rajib, Ashish Das, a BJP leader from Tripura also joined hands with the TMC at the same rally in Tripura’s capital city.

Das has been vociferously dissenting against Tripura CM Biplab Deb and his leadership in the state over the past couple of months.