Amid the ongoing insurgency in the Trinamool Congress (TMC), party MP Abhishek Banerjee has issued an open challenge to rebel leaders and said that if they all accept Mamata Banerjee’s leadership and return, he will quit the party within an hour. Abhishek Banerjee said, “Those who left the party and blame me or insult me today, I urge them to return to Didi (Mamata Banerjee). If he comes back, I’ll quit the party within the hour.
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He alleged that the rebel leaders had entered into a pact with the BJP. Abhishek said, “They have made a deal with the BJP. First leave the party then join the rebel group or BJP and then blame Abhishek Banerjee. He also said that if he is indeed the cause of the rebellion in the party, he is ready to leave his post within an hour as soon as the rebel leaders return to the TMC. This statement by Abhishek Banerjee comes at a time when many TMC MPs and MLAs have left the party.
These leaders blamed Abhishek Banerjee’s style of functioning for the current crisis in the party. TMC leaders like Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik left the party. All three were members of the Rajya Sabha. At the same time, 20 party legislators under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also formed a separate group and declared support for the NDA. Apart from Kakoli Ghosh, these MPs include many other names including Sharmila Sarkar, Prasoon Banerjee, Jagdish Chandra Basunia, Arup Chakraborty, Kalipada Soren, Shatabdi Roy, June Malia, Mala Roy, Yusuf Pathan, Rachna Banerjee, Bapi Haldar, Mitali Bagh, Khalilur Rehman, Abu Taher Khan, Asit Mal, Dev. Adhikari and Partha Bhowmik.
Read also: Bulldozer hits Abhishek Banerjee’s ‘illegal’ office, five-storey building demolished using three JCBs
Apart from this, 64 of the 80 TMC MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly rebelled and formed a separate faction under the leadership of Ritabrata Banerjee. The rebel group, calling itself the real TMC, has also claimed the name and election symbol of the party to the Election Commission. At the same time, the post allocated to the party in the Bengal Assembly was also captured. Ritabrata Banerjee was elected leader of the TMC legislature party and leader of the opposition in the assembly.
Madan Mitra was also targeted
Recently, senior TMC leader Madan Mitra resigned from all party posts and supported the rebel group, although he did not resign as MLA. Madan Mitra described Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership style as “Hitlershahi” and said the party was becoming weak due to the control of one man. At the same time, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the party, and Sushmita Dev also resigned from the Rajya Sabha and party posts. Prakash Chik Baraik also resigned from the Rajya Sabha. It is said that these leaders will join the BJP.
Bulldozer hits TMC office
Meanwhile, the South 24 Parganas district administration on Saturday began demolition of Abhishek Banerjee’s party office in Amtala. The administration claims that this building was built without an approved development plan and construction rules were violated. The action was carried out using JCB equipment with enhanced safety measures. Police and central security forces were dispatched to the spot.
Also read: FIR against TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee accused of amputating a woman’s leg after treatment at a health camp.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee termed the demolition of the party’s Amtala office as an act of political vendetta. According to him, the office was built on the acquired land in accordance with all valid permits and approved maps. He alleged that the local administration took this action in collaboration with the BJP. Abhishek Banerjee said the TMC will demand an immediate hearing in the matter in the Calcutta High Court and, if necessary, will also approach the Supreme Court.
He claims that the party has submitted videos to the Chief Justice’s OSD which allegedly show BJP workers committing vandalism. He warned that if there is a change of power in the state after the 2031 assembly elections, similar action will be taken against the BJP party offices as per law. He also said that legal action will be taken against the people seen in the video and no one will be able to escape the law.
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