Now, Rajib Banerjee resigns as MLA from Bengal Assembly

Kolkata: Hours before Union home minister Amit Shah's two-day visit to Kolkata, Trinamool Congress legislator Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned from the West Bengal legislative Assembly. Earlier, Banerjee had resigned as state forest minister on January 22.

Banerjee was an MLA from Howrah Domjur Assembly constituency. He met Speaker Biman Banerjee in the Assembly and tendered his resignation.

"It is with my sincere gratitude that I am resigning as member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Serving for the people of West Bengal has been my life's greatest achievement, I am gratified for what has been accomplished during nearly 10 years of my term," Banerjee wrote on his social media page.

Wishing everyone and his Legislative Assembly colleagues the best in the future, he said: "I deeply appreciate the confidence you have placed in me. I also thank the people of Domjur constituency for believing in me and I promise to stay beside you all and work for your and Bengal's betterment in the future to come."

Speculation is rife that Banerjee might join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during Amit Shah's rally at Dumurjala stadium ground on January 31. Another Trinamool Congress MLA, Vaishali Dalmiya, who had been suspended from the party, is also likely to join the BJP in Shah's presence, sources said.