Bengal Polls: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha joins TMC

New Delhi, Mar 13: Yashwant Sinha, the former BJP leader, an avowed critic of the Narendra Modi government joined the Trinamool Congress ahead of the Bengal Assembly elections 2021.

"The country is facing an unprecedented situation today. The strength of democracy lies in the strength of the institutions of democracy. All these institutions including the judiciary have become weak now," Sinha said after joning TMC.

"BJP during Atal Ji's time believed in consensus but today's government believes in crushing and conquering. Akalis, BJD have left the BJP. Today, who is standing with BJP?," he added.

The octogenarian leader pledged support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her fight against the BJP.

"The tipping point was the attack on Mamata Ji in Nandigram. It was the moment of decision to join TMC and support Mamata Ji," he said.

"We welcome Yashwant Sinha to our party. His participation would strengthen our fight against the BJP in the elections," TMC Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said.

The 80-year-old leader, who held finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had quit his party in 2018.

Sinha had served as Union Finance minister twice- once in the Chandra Sekhar cabinet in 1990 and then again in the Vajpayee ministry. He also held portfolio of External Affairs ministry in the Vajpayee cabinet.

His son Jayant Sinha is the BJP MP from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand.

Sinha's entry int TMC is seen as a big boost to TMC as a steady stream of leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari and Rajib Banerjee shifting loyalties to the BJP.