Kolkata/IBNS: 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.

Speaking to the reporters, Ghosh said, "I told him (Samik Bhattacharya) that not just me but all old guards back him in this battle. I believe we will together defeat the TMC in the 2026 assembly elections. I am a nominal party worker who is ready to fight the TMC under Samik Bhattacharya's leadership."

"I gave a call to wipe out TMC in the 2021 assembly elections but it didn't happen. I am sure the mission will be fulfilled in 2026," the firebrand BJP leader added.

Amid the soaring tussle between the old guards and turncoats in the party, Ghosh strikingly days ago said he will feature in one of the daisies on July 21 without confirming whether he will join Mamata's camp on that day during the Martyrs' Day rally.

"I will be on one of the platforms for sure. People always speculate about me," Ghosh had said.

Samik, who had earlier claimed Ghosh will not move out of BJP, on Tuesday said the party was united with no infighting between the old and new guards.

"There is no tussle between the new and old guards. BJP is for all who fought for the party in tough times. There is no infighting among us. We do not have a separate Bengal line and Delhi line within the camp.

"The party, and not any individual leader, is supreme. There might be some misunderstandings but it doesn't mean it's his end of journey in the party. I promise BJP will emerge as a complete united force within 15 days from now," Samik said addressing the media.

"I will visit every district. No BJP worker should be left out. I would appeal to all workers to refrain from tagging any disgruntled BJP leader to any other party. We are fighting a battle to save West Bengal. I would urge my co-workers to even take along disgruntled, honest, grassroot level TMC leaders and Left workers who still dream of revolution in this fight," the 11th BJP state president added.

Samik was elected unopposed as the party's new state president last week in presence of senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.