Kolkata/IBNS, July 9 -- Disgruntled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday diluted speculations of him joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as he backed new state unit president Samik Bhattacharya in fight against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2026 assembly elections.

In a surprise move, Ghosh visited the BJP's Salt Lake party office and met Samik, who took charge as the president only last week.

The former state BJP president, under whose leadership the saffron camp saw a meteoric rise in West Bengal, said Samik has his backing in the next assembly elections due to be held in less than a year's time.

Amid the soaring tussle between the old guards and turncoats in the party, Ghosh strikingly days ago said he wil...