The four-time councillor, Santosh Pathak, joined the BJP in the presence of state party chief Samik Bhattacharya, former Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb, Amit Malviya, and state general secretary Locket Chatterjee. (Photo:X@BJP4Bengal)In a blow to the Congress, its lone councillor in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Santosh Pathak, on Monday joined the BJP.The four-time councillor, Pathak, joined the BJP in the presence of state party chief Samik Bhattacharya, former Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb, Amit Malviya, and state general secretary Locket Chatterjee.Hitting out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and nephew Abhishek, Pathak said, “The TMC government is being run by the aunt-nephew duo… In Ward No. 45, from where I contest, the TMC government had deployed five IPS and around 10,000 people to snatch away my seat. Even the police were giving proxy votes. I had tried to stop them. The ruling TMC does not want any opposition to exist. But this time I feel that the time has come under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to throw this government out.”Pathak, who hails from Buxar in Bihar, however, was not critical of the Congress leadership. “I will not say that the leadership of Congress is bad. Adhir (Ranjan Chowdhury) is a good leader. The BJP will decide what work I will do. I know how to fight. Here in the BJP, I can fight more,” he added.BJP is likely to field Pathak from the Chowranghee seat in the Assembly polls, party sources said.Welcoming him, state BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said, “We had contacted Pathak, and he spoke with us. He felt that it is BJP which can uproot the TMC. The entire Bengali community all over the world wants the TMC to go.”Earlier, Wasim Ansari, the Congress councillor from Ward 137, had joined the TMC.Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Kolkata Municipal Corporation