Yashwant Sinha appointed Trinamool Congress vice-president and national working committee member

Kolkata: The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday appointed former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yashwant Sinha as the party's vice-president and national working committee member.

As per the order issued by TMC General Secretary Subrata Bakshi, the former union minister has been made the party's vice-president and a member of the TMC national working committee.

The former Union Minister had joined the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress on Saturday last.

Eighty-three-year-old former BJP leader, who held the finance portfolio during the AB Vajpayee leadership early this century said he was grateful to Mamata Ji for allowing him to serve the West Bengal ruling party.

After joining the TMC on March 13, Mr Sinha said, "You must be surprised why at this age when I’d distanced myself from party politics. Why am I joining a party and turning active? I’d like to say the country is going through an extraordinary situation."

"Today mostly all institutions have become weak. Unfortunately, this also includes the judiciary. Nobody is there to a stop to the government’s whimsical behaviour. You can see what’s happening in the country and nobody seems to be worried,” he said.

Mr Sinha said farmers are sitting at the borders, migrant workers are forced to walk back home. Health, education all are in the doldrums. The aim of the ruling party seems to be to win elections somehow.

“There is a lot of difference between Atal Ji's party and the one we have today. Atalji believed in consensus, today’s government believes in crushing," he said.“Akalis, BJD has left the BJP. Today, who is standing with BJP?" Mr Sinha asked.(UNI)