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Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, just two days after tendering his resignation from the esteemed position.

 

Gangopadhyay's decision to join the saffron party came after announcing his intention to do so immediately following his resignation from the high court on Tuesday. 

 

The former judge, who had often clashed with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government due to his judgments and orders, was warmly welcomed into the BJP fold by state president Sukanta Majumdar, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, party observer Mangal Pandey, and other key leaders.

 

Press Conference & Joining at Salt Lake BJP Office. https://t.co/Pqmtmwqy2p

— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) March 7, 2024

 

Expressing his aspirations upon joining the BJP, Gangopadhyay said, “Today I have entered into a new world where people like Prime Minister Narendra Modi Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders are present. I will try my best to shoulder whatever responsibility the party will give me”.

 

He underlined the party's goal of ousting the allegedly corrupt state government and facilitating Bengal's progress.

 

“Our prime objective is to remove a corrupt government from Bengal and ensure that the foundation for its ouster is made in this Lok Sabha polls. It pains me to see that Bengal is continuously going backwards. There is a need for the BJP to come to power in Bengal. There is a need to put up a serious fight against the state government,” he added.

 

Gangopadhyay's induction into the BJP was marked by a grand reception at the party's Salt Lake office, where Majumdar presented him with the party flag. 

 

Suvendu Adhikari hailed Gangopadhyay as a significant addition to Bengal's political landscape, lauding his unwavering commitment to justice.

 

"West Bengal's politics needs a person like Abhijit Gangopadhyay," BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the leader of the opposition in the assembly, said.

 

Earlier in the week, Gangopadhyay tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, with copies sent to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Calcutta High Court Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam.

 

Following his resignation, he expressed his desire to join the BJP during a press conference at his Salt Lake residence.

 

The BJP leaders expressed confidence in Gangopadhyay's potential to bring about significant change in Bengal's political scenario, praising his steadfast advocacy for the rights of the people. 

 

Renowned for his unwavering pursuit of justice, the 61-year-old judge at the Calcutta High Court has garnered widespread acclaim for his decisive actions in cases linked to the West Bengal teachers' recruitment scam.

 

Notably, he ordered multiple investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), directing the filing of FIRs and conducting midnight interrogations of key suspects, including ministers and education board chairpersons. 

 

Dissatisfied with the sluggish progress, Justice Gangopadhyay boldly criticized the probe's pace, urging authorities to apprehend the "real culprits." 

 

His resolute measures culminated in the arrest of prominent political figures, including three Trinamool Congress MLAs and numerous government officials implicated in the scandal. 

 

Moreover, he invalidated over 4,000 unlawfully made appointments, compelling the state government to unveil manipulated candidate marks spanning from 2014 to 2020.