Just weeks after losing the Rajya Sabha polls from Assam due to cross-voting, former state Congress chief Ripun Bora on Sunday quit the party and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

“From today, I have started my new political journey!” Bora wrote on Twitter.

The Congress leader, accompanied by his wife and son, met the TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata and formally joined the party headed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“Extending a very warm welcome to Shri Ripun Bora, a stalwart and skilled politician, who joined the AITC family today,” Abhishek Banerjee later wrote on his social media handle. “We are extremely pleased to have you on board and look forward to working together for the well-being of our people!”

TMC Rajya Sabha members, Derek O’Brien and Susmita Dev, were present at the meeting.

Dev, who was the former President of All India Women’s Congress, joined the TMC in August last year.

In his resignation letter to Congress’ interim President Sonia Gandhi, Bora said: “I am very pained to inform you that it is an open secret in Assam that instead of fighting against BJP, a section of the senior most leaders of the Assam PCC has been maintaining a secret understanding with the BJP government, mainly the Chief Minister.” He added that Congress leaders are fighting among themselves, giving BJP ample room to expand. “After a devastating defeat in Assam Assembly Elections in 2016, you gave me the responsibility of PCC president, Assam,” Bora wrote to Sonia Gandhi.