Abhijit Gangopadhyay made a significant announcement on Tuesday, declaring his intention to join the BJP shortly after stepping down as a judge of the Calcutta High Court.
During a press conference, the former judge criticized the Trinamool Congress, accusing it of being synonymous with corruption, and vowed to challenge it vigorously. The TMC, however, questioned Gangopadhyay's impartiality as a judge, alleging his connections with the saffron party during the delivery of judgments against TMC leaders.
Gangopadhyay disclosed his plans to join the BJP tentatively on March 7, citing the party's stance against corruption and its confrontation with the tainted TMC in West Bengal. He attributed his decision to the direct attacks he faced from the TMC, which spurred him to transition from the judiciary to politics.
While evading a direct response on contesting Lok Sabha polls, Gangopadhyay expressed readiness to accept any role assigned by the BJP leadership.
He condemned the culture within a section of the TMC leadership that targeted judges instead of addressing their judgments, highlighting instances of verbal assaults directed at him.
Gangopadhyay emphasized the limitations of combating corruption as a judge and emphasized the broader scope available in politics to address non-litigated cases and systemic issues.
Confident in the declining fortunes of the TMC in West Bengal, Gangopadhyay predicted its eventual demise, drawing parallels with the fate of the Left Front in previous elections.
The decision to join the BJP was reached after mutual deliberations between Gangopadhyay and the party over the past week. However, Gangopadhyay clarified that he refrained from adjudicating during this period to prevent controversy over political bias.
He distanced himself from the CPI(M) and criticized the Congress, attributing his religious beliefs as a deterrent to aligning with them.
Regarding corruption allegations against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, Gangopadhyay dismissed them as fabricated, suggesting they were orchestrated to elevate a prominent TMC figure within the party.
In response to Gangopadhyay's assertions, TMC leaders questioned the neutrality of his previous judgments.
State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya welcomed Gangopadhyay's decision, citing it as a validation of the BJP's anti-corruption stance.
Gangopadhyay tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, with copies sent to CJI DY Chandrachud and Calcutta HC Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam. He had served as an additional judge at the Calcutta High Court since May 2, 2018, and was appointed as a permanent judge on July 30, 2020.
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