TMC MLA Who Boasted Of ‘Crushing People Under His Feet’ Joins BJP

Trinamool Congress MLA from Labhpur in West Bengal, Manirul Islam, joined the BJP in New Delhi.

(Photo: ANI)

In another blow to the Trinamool Congress, the party’s MLA from the Labhpur constituency in West Bengal, Manirul Islam, has joined the BJP. Labhpur falls under the Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Islam, along with three other TMC leaders who held important party posts in Birbhum joined the saffron party at their New Delhi office.

Islam, who has recently had a very public falling out with the Trinamool’s Birbhum district president (and Mamata’s close aide) Anubrata Mandal has had his fair share of run-ins with the law.

In 2010, Islam’s name was mentioned in a FIR filed in Birbhum over the murder of three brothers.

On 3 June 2010, brothers Koton Sheikh, Dhanu Sheikh and Turuk Sheikh were killed over an alleged sand mining dispute at Manirul's home, reported The Telegraph.

Islam’s name, however, was omitted from the chargesheet in the case filed by the West Bengal Police. Subsequently a plea challenging the omission of Islam's name was withdrawn by a brother of the victims in 2015.

During the campaign period for the 2014 general elections, Islam referred to this incident saying that he had “crushed” three brothers “under his feet” and also threatened to decapitate a Congress leader.

Islam’s statement earned him a notice from the Election Commission.

The Birbhum district in West Bengal saw the BJP making massive inroads in the Lok Sabha elections with the party winning over 38 percent of the vote share in the three seats from the district, although it didn’t manage to win any of the seats.

(With inputs from The Telegraph)