Calcutta HC judge resigns, set to join BJP

Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay - who confirmed his resignation - has said he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party, possibly on March 7. Speaking to reporters, he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he called a "very hardworking man", and ripped into the ruling Trinamool, which he declared had "inspired" him to enter politics. "Trinamool is imploding... it means corruption. PM Modi is a very hardworking man and he is trying to do something for this country," he declared and took swipes at the other opposition parties, "I believe in God and religion, but CPIM does not and the Congress is the zamindari of one family." There is speculation he could contest the Tamluk seat, which has been a bastion of the ruling Trinamool Congress in recent elections; the party has held it since the 2009 election. The seat was held by Suvendu Adhikari (between 2009 and 2016, when he quit), who was widely seen as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's right-hand man till his switch to the BJP.