Kolkata, Feb. 19 -- West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja has said that BJP MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma believes in development-based politics, citing it as the reason for his joining Trinamool Congress today.

She underscored Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC's commitment to development in West Bengal.

"He said in clear terms that the party (BJP) he was associated with would say one thing and do another... While in the BJP, he kept raising this question that Gorkhas are being used as a vote bank, but if anyone truly worked on development, it was Mamata Banerjee. He believes in development-based politics and has joined TMC for the same," she said.

Sharma, who represents Kurseong Assembly constituency, joined the ruling All India Trinamool...