In a major blow to Congress, Independent MLA from Sanguem Prasad Gaonkar on Wednesday extended his support to the Trinamool Congress, even as his brother Santosh and several other followers formally joined the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led party.
Incidentally, Gaonkar had extended support to the Congress in July this year, while Santosh Gaonkar had already formally joined the Opposition party in the same month.
Speaking to reporters in the presence of TMC MP Derek O’Brien and former Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro, Prasad Gaonkar said that the Congress had been unable to tap the anger against the ruling BJP, which was why he had chosen to align with the TMC.
"The Congress should have capitalised on the anger against the BJP, but they have been unable to do so. So, I am supporting TMC," Gaonkar said.
The independent MLA also said that a decision whether he would contest the 2022 state assembly polls on a TMC ticket would be taken after discussion with party leaders.
Party sources said that Gaonkar was expected to formally join the TMC, after the culmination of the last session of the state assembly later this month.
In 2017, soon after poll results were declared Gaonkar had supported the Congress party, before the latter's bid to form government fell into disarray. Gaonkar had then switched his support to the ruling BJP, before withdrawing support from the government in October last year.