Suspended BJP leader Jay Prakash Majumdar joined Trinamul on Tuesday, the move giving a reason to both the state BJP leadership and disgruntled leaders of the party to hit out at each other.

While the state BJP leadership is trying to portray this defection as something that has morally weakened the dissident camp, disgruntled leaders said dissent should be heard in the party to prevent such defections.

Jay Prakash, “temporarily suspended” from the BJP in January, was inducted into Trinamul as a vice-president on Tuesday in the presence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. This happened within 24 hours of him and four other dissidents meeting BJP MP Locket Chatterjee to discuss their future course of action.

Jay Prakash told this paper it wasn’t his responsibility to bring the BJP back on track. “I didn’t quit the BJP, they threw me out,” he said.

“How will dissidents now explain this (Jay Prakash joining Trinamul)? Those who can’t keep themselves united are speaking of rectification in the party,” a state office bearer close to general secretary (organisation) Amitava Chakraborty said.

The primary condition of the BJP dissidents is removal of Chakraborty from his role.

Even Bengal BJP chief and MP Sukanta Majumdar refused to pay much heed to Jay Prakash’s defection apart from a jibe: “He came to the BJP from the Congress and went to Trinamul from the BJP. Hopefully he will make another defection in future.”

Dissident leaders Ritesh Tiwari and Sayantan Basu claimed this defection would have no effect on their stand..

“We are fighting for the rights of deprived BJP workers and leaders. If one individual quits the party it won’t have any effect on our movement,” Tiwari told this paper.

Dissidents said this defection proved it was high time that the BJP leadership addressed “grievances” of disgruntled party workers. “If leaders don’t wish to witness an exodus, they must act soon,” a source said.

Chatterjee, Basu and Tiwari admitted they had no idea of Jay Prakash’s plans to join Trinamul during Monday's meeting. A source present at Monday’s meeting said when Chatterjee had asked him if he was planning to switch camps, he had said no.

Chatterjee said it was evident that Jay Prakash had prioritised his personal gain over that of the party.

Jay Prakash said the saffron camp was being led by people afraid of taking decisions.