Trinamool was suffocating, BJP is better: Arjun Singh

Kolkata, March 16 (IANS) Returning here to a tumultuous welcome from his followers after joining the BJP, former Trinamool Congress strongman Arjun Singh on Saturday said he was confident of victory if his new party nominated him as its Lok Sabha poll candidate from Barrackpore.

"I was feeling suffocated in Trinamool. I feel better in the BJP," the lawmaker from North 24 Parganas district's Bhatpara told media persons at the NSCBI airport on his return from Delhi amid incessant slogans from his loyalists.

"If my party makes me the candidate from Barrackpore, then I am very much hopeful of victory. (Trinamool candidate and sitting MP) Dinesh Tribedi is going to lose," he said, as his fans shouted "Arjun Singh zindabad", "Jai Siyaram" and frantically captured his photo and video on their mobile phones.

The four-time legislator was mobbed at the airport, and his close associates had a trying time in getting him into his car.

"My followers are my biggest resources," said a smiling Singh, who crossed over to the BJP on March 14 after Trinamool ignored him and decided to persist with former Railway Minister Trivedi as its candidate from Barrackpore.