Around 650 BJP supporters, including some office-bearers of the saffron party from different areas of Siliguri subdivision, joined the Trinamul Congress on Sunday.

At a programme organised at Patharghata in Matigara block, on the outskirts of Siliguri, those people were inducted into Mamata Banerjee’s party by district Trinamul leaders in the presence of former minister Gautam Deb.

“Many of those who joined Trinamul today had been with the BJP for decades. Many others are in touch with us and will join Trinamul in coming days. They have understood that the BJP only makes hollow promises and never delivers,” said Deb.

A Trinamul leader of Matigara said: “The three-tier panchayat elections of the Siliguri subdivision are due and this time, we need to secure majority in the rural bodies of all three tiers, including the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad. Those who joined today work at grassroots.”