Trinamool Congress leader Kabirul Islam resigned from the post of General Secretary of the party’s minority cell, joining the growing list of rebel leaders quitting the party ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, news agency ANI reported.

Earlier in the day, Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta, too, quit the party. This constitutes the fourth major exit in two days after prominent Trinamool leader Suvendu Adhikari and Paschim Bardhaman MLA Jitendra Tiwari quit.

Also Read | Yet another resignation in Trinamool Congress, MLA Silbhadra Datta quits party

As West Bengal braces for the Assembly election, Banerjee is facing an uphill task with the BJP making inroads in the state.

According to media reports, Adhikari, who quit as transport minister and as an MLA, is reportedly set to join the BJP in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah on December 19.