'Something Exciting on the Table': Babul Supriyo on Choosing TMC Over BJP

Shortly after joining TMC, former Union Minister and BJP MP Babul Supriyo on Saturday said he had ?wholeheartedly? decided to quit politics for good but was convinced by the party as ?Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee brought something exciting to the table.?

In an elusive interview with CNN-News18, he further said his friends and colleagues convinced him saying that ?the seven years I have spent in politics shouldn?t be left just like that.? However, Supriyo said he was sure of his decision. ?However here I responded to an opportunity to work for the people of Bengal and I do it very wholeheartedly.?

Mentioning possible criticism for his decision he said ?no matter what will be thrown at me, I am very happy to have taken this decision.?

The former union minister had in a Facebook post announced his decision to quit politics triggering talks with the BJP high command including BJP chief JP Nadda. He was later persuaded against resigning as a Lok Sabha member.

Responding to a question on why the singer-turned-politician quit the BJP, Supriyo chose not to comment saying ?let?s not get into that?. However, he said stood by his social media post. ?Every single word I had written in the post is from the heart. Just because you write something and do something with certain emotions in your mind doesn?t mean that your decision is emotional. In life, certain things come to you and the way you respond to it is what really matters. Whatever I said and posted was from the heart and with the same heart today I accepted the fantastic opportunity that was given to me. ?

On speculations behind his big decision, he said, ?it will unfold within the next few days,? and added that his friends and family are excited about what he was offered by ?Didi and Abhishek.?

On views of Supriyo being ?ungrateful? to the BJP who made him a minister and member of parliament, he said we all wok for incentives, promotions and even make mistakes. But then we walk forward when the elders support you. I think there was something lacking in that direction. I don?t want to blame anyone and Im obviously very grateful to BJP.

The former BJP MP from Asansol made the decision to join the ruling Trinamool Congress days after the saffron party announced his name in the list of star campaigners in Bengal and had been actively promoting the BJP leading to speculations that no party leaders were aware of his decision to make the major decision to resign.

Supriyo said the decision was made in the last three days. ?Everything happened in the last three days after a meeting with TMC MP Derek O?Brien, a long friend of mine. Let me also make it clear that it is not necessary to inform any big or small leader whether they want to put out a list of star campaign or not.

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and Ukraine-Russia War Live Updates here.