In a massive setback for the Congress party, former President Pranab Mukherjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. The former Congress PM thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and hoped that she would be able to replicate the victory in West Bengal at the national level.

“The way Mamata Banerjee halted the recent communal wave by BJP, I believe that in the future, with the support of others, she would be able to do the same in the entire country,” Mukherjee said shortly after being welcomed in the ruling party.

Hinting that he may have been disgruntled with the Congress leadership, Mukherjee said that he had not been included in any group or position of the Congress party, except primary membership. “Therefore, I have joined TMC as a soldier and will work accordingly with the party’s instructions. I will work to maintain integrity and secularism,” he said while addressing a press conference in the state capital.

Previously, Mukherjee had denied ‘rumours’ 

A former MP from Jangipur, Mukherjee is likely to be offered a ticket from the Assembly seat as it goes to bypolls due to the death of the sitting MLA.

A Congress bastion, Jangipur was the constituency for former President Pranab Mukherjee till 2012, when he vacated the seat. While political circles in West Bengal were abuzz with reports of Mukherjee’s likely switch, the Congress campaign committee chairman had refuted the reports and said that he was a loyal Congress worker.

“I remain in the Congress and reports that I am joining Trinamool or any other party are not correct,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.