Months after quitting and then making a U-turn to join the Trinamool Congress again, Jitendra Tiwari, a sitting MLA of the ruling party in West Bengal, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday, the Hindustan Times reported.

Tiwari, a two-time Trinamool Congress MLA from Pandabeshwar constituency in Paschim Bardhaman district, joined the BJP at a programme in Sreerampur in Hooghly district, in the presence of the saffron party’s state chief Dilip Ghosh.

“I have joined the BJP as I want to work for the development of the state,” Tiwari told PTI. “In Trinamool Congress, it was no longer possible to work for the party.”

In December, Tiwari had quit the Trinamool Congress, along with former West Bengal minister Suvendu Adhikari but had returned to the party fold soon after. “There was some misunderstanding,” he had said after his return, according to the Hindustan Times. “I accept my fault. I never wanted to hurt Didi [Mamata Banerjee]. I will never leave Didi.”

Back then, Tiwari’s entry to the BJP was reportedly stalled due to reservations from Union minister Babul Supriyo and other party leaders. However, multiple BJP leaders like women wing leader Agnimitra Paul and general secretary Sayantan Basu were served showcause notices for speaking against the party on the matter, according to the Hindustan Times.

Political turmoil began for the TMC after former state minister and a close associate of Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari, quit the party in December. After a long drawn period of public dissatisfaction with the ruling TMC, Adhikari joined the BJP during Shah’s two-day visit to West Bengal on December 19. He resigned from all the positions he held in the Trinamool Congress on December 17. This came a day after he resigned as a member of the Legislative Assembly and almost 20 days after he resigned as West Bengal transport minister. He had quit from the post of chairperson of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners too.

Last month, Diamond Harbour MLA Dipak Halder joined the BJP, a day after quitting Trinamool.

On January 31, former West Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee joined the BJP along with MLAs Prabir Ghosal and Baishali Dalmiya, former Howrah Mayor Rathin Chakraborty and actor Rudranil Ghosh.

On January 5, West Bengal Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigned from his post. He will, however, continue as an MLA.

The elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in record eight phases from March 27 to April 29. The results will be declared on May 2. The state will see a three-cornered fight between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP and an alliance between Left parties, the Congress and the Indian Secular Front.