News Analysis India

Tag: Kirti Azad

  • TMC to set up ad hoc committee in Goa to strengthen base in state 

    By PTI

    PANAJI: The Goa unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has decided to set up an ad hoc state level executive committee with a view to strengthen its base in the state ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    The Mamata Banerjee-led political outfit had failed to open its account in the Goa Assembly elections held in February this year despite a vociferous campaign.

    Recently, the party appointed cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad as its in-charge of the state, replacing Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra.

    On Friday, Azad, in the presence of party leader Derek O’Brien, held a meeting to take a stock of the party’s future prospects in the BJP-ruled coastal state.

    “It was decided that the party will install an ad hoc state executive committee with immediate effect for the state,” a senior party functionary told PTI.

    Azad, during his interaction with the party leaders here, emphasised working with a renewed vigour in view of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    “The ad hoc committee will work at the grassroots level. The party will declare its final committee later this year,” he said.

    The TMC had recently faced a setback in Goa after its state unit president Kiran Kandolkar quit the party along with two other members.

    The BJP, which won 20 seats in the 40-member House in the Assembly polls, returned to power with the support of two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three Independents.

    The MGP had contested the elections in alliance with the TMC.

  • Congress leader Kirti Azad, former JDU general secretary Pavan Varma join TMC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Kirti Azad joined the Trinamool Congress in the national capital on Tuesday in the presence of party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    Besides Azad, former JDU general secretary Pavan Varma also joined the TMC.

    “I’ll work under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and I’ll start working on the field. The BJP’s politics is divisive and we will fight it. Today, a personality like her is needed in the country who can show it the right direction,” Azad said after joining.

    Varma, a former advisor to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was expelled from the ruling JD(U) in 2020.

    He was an MP until July 2016.

    He was also the national general secretary and spokesperson of the party.

    “Looking at the current political circumstances and the potential in Mamata Banerjee, I have today joined TMC,” said Varma.

    Another Congress leader slated to join the TMC later in the evening is Ashok Tanwar, who quit the Congress in October 2019 and launched his own party.

    Banerjee, who is in Delhi, always meets Congress president Sonia Gandhi during her visits.

    However, TMC sources indicated that the West Bengal chief minister may give it a miss this time.

    A member of the 1983 cricket World Cup-winning squad, Azad was suspended from the BJP for openly targeting the then Union finance minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities and corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association in December 2015.

    He joined the Congress in 2018.

    Azad was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice from Darbhanga in Bihar.

    He had contested the 2014 general elections on a BJP ticket.

    Ashok Tanwar, who was once considered close to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, was an MP from Sirsa during 2009-2014 and also the president of the party’s Haryana unit.

    He quit the Congress days before the Haryana Assembly elections in October 2019.

    He launched his own party, Apna Bharat Morcha, in February this year.

  • Congress leader Kirti Azad to join Trinamool Congress amid Mamata Banerjee’s Delhi visit

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: In what could start poaching accusation debate in two opposition parties, former cricketer and Congress leader Kirti Azad is set to join the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the national capital in presence of party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee.

    Banerjee, who landed in Delhi on Monday on a four day visit, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also on her agenda is meeting with other opposition leaders to discuss strategy for upcoming winter session of parliament and formation of a United Front.

    However, what is considered as a setback for possible alliance, Azad, who joined Congress in 2019 ahead of the general elections, is expected to move on to TMC and his formal joining is likely on Tuesday evening in presence of Mamata. 

    Earlier, Congress women wing chief Sushmita Dev, former Goa Chief Minisyer Luizinho Falerio, former Congress MP and son of president Paranab Mukherjee, Abhijit, and former Congress MLA in UP Lalitjesh Pati Tripathi have joined the TMC. Dev and Falerio have already been elected to Rajya Sabha by the TMC.

    Sources said that the TMC is in touch with leaders from other parties and many are expected to join the party in coming months. “This is all part of party’s move to have national presence with Mamata Banerjee ready to challenge Prime Minister in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is part of national expansion plan,” said a senior TMC leader. 

    Azad, was suspended by the BJP in 2015 after he accused former Union Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged corruption in Delhi’s cricket body DDCA at a time it was headed by him. He was in the BJP for 26 years and was a three-time parliamentarian from Bihar’s Darbhanga.

    He failed to won in 2019 on a Congress ticket. After joining Congress, he has termed it as a “gharwapsi” (homecoming) as his father Bhagwat Jha Azad was a Congress leader and a former chief minister of Bihar.

  • Congress leader and former cricketer Kirti Azad to join TMC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Kirti Azad will join the Trinamool Congress in Delhi on Tuesday, sources in the Mamata Banerjee-led party said.

    Banerjee, who is in Delhi, always meets Congress president Sonia Gandhi during her visits.

    However, the TMC sources indicated that the West Bengal chief minister may give it a miss this time.

    A member of the 1983 cricket World Cup-winning squad, Azad was suspended from the BJP for openly targeting the then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities and corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association in December 2015.

    He joined the Congress in 2018.

    Azad was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice from Darbhanga in Bihar.

    He had contested the 2014 general elections on a BJP ticket.