Kolkata, Jan. 20 -- Former cricket administrator Biswarup Dey on Wednesday joined the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, days after ex-cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigned as the state minister.

Dey, who was the joint secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), joined the party, led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in presence of parliamentarians Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray at the Trinamool Bhavan here.

Dey cleared it was only Banerjee's "spirit" which inspired him to join the Trinamool, which is facing stiff fight from the aggressive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in poll-bound West Bengal.

West Bengal will plunge into an electoral battle in April-May as the BJP is aiming to unseat the Tri...