TMC’s former Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Trivedi, who resigned from the floor of the house on Friday, had informed about his decision to NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
The dramatic fashion in which Trivedi, 70, exited from Rajya Sabha and TMC shocked many. But it was known to Pawar beforehand, reported Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika on Saturday.
Subsequently the NCP leader had informed the development to senior TMC leader Saugata Roy, who, in turn, made his party chief Mamata Banerjee aware about the former Lok Sabha MP’s intention.
According to the Bengali daily, Trivedi had called a few senior politicians, including Pawar, to discuss his political future.
The NCP veteran had instantly brought Roy’s attention to the matter earlier this week. Both share a cordial relationship since the days of former Congress leader late Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.
Reportedly, Roy, the Dumdum MP, had informed Banerjee. But due to the packed schedule of the West Bengal Chief Minister, who was then on a tour to North Bengal, she failed to address the problem.
Trivedi, a known Mamata Banerjee-loyalist, on Friday announced his resignation from the Rajya Sabha. He is rumoured to be heading towards BJP.
While addressing the upper house of the Parliament, Trivedi said that he felt suffocated as he was unable to carry out any work for the people or do anything for the violence going on in the poll-bound West Bengal.
“If you sit here quietly and cannot do anything, then it is better that you resign from here and go to the land of Bengal and be with people,” he said in the Upper House of Parliament.
Trivedi said the world looks at India when something happens.
“What I mean to say is the way violence is taking place in our state. Sitting here, I am feeling perplexed as to what should I do,” he added.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP said he was unable to tolerate various incidents of violence that were taking in West Bengal, where the state assembly elections are due in March-April this year.
“I am grateful to my party that it has sent me here, but now I feel a little suffocated. We are unable to do anything and there is atrocity (going on). My voice of conscience is saying what Swami Vivekananda used to say — arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached,” Trivedi said, while announcing his resignation from the House.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said there is a due process for resigning from the House and asked Trivedi to submit his resignation in writing to the chairman.