The Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal suffered another set back as two leaders resigned from the party on Friday, a day after two senior leaders quit the party. Trinamool Congress leader Kabirul Islam resigned from the post of the general secretary of the party’s minority cell on Friday, making it the fourth exit in the last 24 hours.
Trinamool Congress MLA Shilbhadra Dutta has tendered his resignation from the party on Friday morning. The MLA from Barrackpore had openly resented due to the ‘interference’ by poll strategist Prashant Kishor in the choice of candidates for the state election.
MLA Shilbhadra Dutta after tendering his resignation told reporters, “I think that I am unfit in the party in the present scenario. But, I will not resign as an MLA. Why should I resign as an MLA? I have won by people’s votes. If I go, where will they go?”
On Thursday, Suvendu Adhikari and Jitendra Tiwari, MLA from Pandabeswar had tendered resignation from the party.
Cop Diptanshu Chowdhury (retd) has also resigned from the post of South Bengal State Transport Corporation and head of the state’s grievance monitoring cell and sent his letter to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and governor on Thursday,
These back-to-back exit has reinforced worries for the ruling TMC government in Bengal ahead of the state assembly polls which is just five months away.
BJP social media head Amit Malviya tweeted, “The rate at which TMC MLAs are resigning, Pishi must perhaps consider setting up a resignation collection center in her office.”
Many of the rebel TMC MLAs and heads of elected bodies are believed to be preparing to resign and are expected to cross over to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of BJP senior leader Amit Shah.
It is also said that Suvendu Adhikari who has played a critical role in TMC’s victory in 2016 Bengal elections, has control over local leaders in more than 50 seats in the western part of the state.
The TMC had failed to persuade Suvendu Adhikari despite senior leader Saugata Roy had him meet Abhishek Banerjee and Prashant Kishor and termed the meeting a success. But the next day, Adhikari texted Saugata Roy and said, “Excuse me, I cannot work like this anymore.”
It is likely that Suvendu Adhikari will join BJP at a public meeting in Medinipur which will also be attended by Home Minster Amit Shah. He is visiting Bengal for a two-day visit and will arrive in Kolkata on late Friday night.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at a rally in Cooch Behar, said, “Some people will come and go with the tide. But the real Trinamool is intact.”