Kolkata, Jul 21 (Agencies): Former Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra has joined the Trinamool Congress, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today in a rally to observe Martyrs' Day.
Former CPM MP Moinul Hasan, Congress's Sabina Yasmin and Mizoram advocate-general Biswajit Deb have also joined the party, she said.
"We will start 'BJP hatao, desh bachao' campaign on 15th August. 2019 will be a big blow, Bengal will show the path," Mamata Banerjee said in the rally after announcing the new entrants to the party.
Chandan Mitra had submitted his resignation from the BJP to party president Amit Shah on Wednesday.
A two-time Rajya Sabha Member, Mitra is the Editor and Managing Director of The Pioneer. He was a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from August 2003 to 2009.
In June 2010, BJP got him elected to the upper house from Madhya Pradesh. His term ended in 2016.
All roads in the city will today lead to Esplanade, the venue of the TMC's annual Martyrs' Day rally, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to spell out the party's strategy for the next Lok Sabha polls.
The TMC observes the Martyrs' Day every year on July 21 in its bid to pay homage to 13 Youth Congress workers, allegedly killed in police firing in 1993 during the Left Front regime in West Bengal. Banerjee was a leader of the Youth Congress at that time.
The rally also comes a day after the no-confidence motion against the Modi government was decisively defeated.