Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Biswajit Das, who had met Mamata Banerjee a few days ago, was stopped from entering Amit Shah’s rally in Thakurnagar on Thursday.
Das, who is the legislator of Bongaon Uttar, was seen touching the West Bengal Chief Minister’s feet before a 20-minute private meeting with her on the last day of State Assembly. Another TMC-turned-BJP leader and Noapara MLA Sunil Singh was also present.
Rumours have been rife since that the defecting duo could be on their way back to their former party. However, both played down the speculations and said that it was a courtesy meet with the TMC supremo.
On Thursday, when Union Home Minister Shah addressed the huge Matua crowd at Thakurnagar in Bongao, Das was reportedly not allowed to enter the location, even though he was invited.
According to Bengali daily Sangbad Pratidin, another TMC-turncoat Suvendu Adhikari had to intervene for Das to take part in Shah’s event.
Das is known to lead an different faction against BJP MP and All India Matua Mahasansh chief Shantanu Thakur. Many believe their relationship has gone further downhill ever since Das met Banerjee.
However, BJP had refused to entertain rumours that Das would switch back to TMC. Party’s Bengal president Dilip Ghosh had said that both Das and Sunil Singh had informed the saffron camp before their meeting with Banerjee.
Meanwhile, Shah on Thursday said the process of granting Indian citizenship to refugees under the CAA, including to the Matua community of West Bengal, will begin once the process of COVID vaccination has ended.
Accusing the opposition parties of misleading the minorities about the Citizenship (amendment) Act, he said its implementation will not impact the citizenship status of Indian minorities.
Shah said the Modi government had in 2018 promised it will bring in a new citizenship law and kept it when the BJP was voted to power in 2019.