Trinamool Congress today said more than 20 elected members of some rural bodies belonging to the RSP, Congress, CPI(M) and other parties had joined its ranks.
TMC general secretary Mukul Roy said elected gram panchayat representatives from Talli, Danria, Gopalpur and Itkhola in South 24-Parganas district today joined the party.
"With the joining of seven elected representatives of the Danria Gram Panchayat to the party, the Gram Panchayat will be now controlled by the TMC," Roy said.
In the other three Gram Panchayats, the position of the Trinamool Congress had been strengthened by the joining of elected representatives of opposition parties, he said.
In the last few months a number of elected rural local body members belonging to opposition parties, such as MLAs, councillors, have switched loyalty to the Trinamool Congress.
