30-vehicles convoy sets out for Shah's mega rally in Bengal

Aconvoy of as many as 30 vehicles headed out for the Midnapore College Groundwhere Union Home Minister Amit Shah was scheduled to address a mega publicmeeting on Saturday.

Theconvoy packed with dissident lawmakers, MPs and other Trinamool Congressleaders set out for the venue at around 12.15 p.m. from Mecheda's guest housein East Midnapore. Theystarted after former West Bengal Transport and Irrigation Minister SuvenduAdhikari stepped out of his Contai residence for the Midnapore College Ground.

Accordingto sources, at least nine sitting legislators, besides Suvendu Adhikari, and aLok Sabha MP from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, Left Front and theCongress are there in the convoy.

Apartfrom them, many district leaders were also on the list of those who will jointhe saffron brigade on Saturady afternoon during Shah's grand event. Ofthe total nine sitting lawmakers, at least six are from the Trinamool Congress,sources said.

Shah,along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s national general secretary (in-chargeof West Bengal) Kailash Vijayvargiya, national vice-president Mukul Roy and BJPstate unit president Dilip Ghosh, had lunch at a farmer's home at Balijurivillage.

Someof the names which are likely to switch to the BJP in Bengal are Barackpore'sTrinamool MLA Shilbhadra Dutta, North Contai MLA Banashree Maity, Kalna's MLABiswajit Kundu, East Burdwan legislator Saikat Panja, Dipali Biswas -- an MLAfrom Gajal, Sukra Munda from Nagrakata and Haldia's Communist Party ofIndia-Marxist (CPI-M) MLA Tapasi Mondal, amongst many others.

SittingTrinamool MP from East Burdwan Sunil Mandal is also likely to join the BJPalong with former MP Dasarath Tirke, former minister Shyamaprasad Mukhopadhyayand former MLA Satyen Ray. Trinamool leaders like Rama Prasad Giri, Congressleader Sanmoy Bandopadhyay along with six minority cell leaders are alsoscheduled to join the BJP in the presence of Shah, sources said.