Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday suspended an MLA who criticised Tuesday’s bedlam in the Assembly.
“No matter which party was involved, the violence is condemnable.
“I’m scared to enter the Assembly after yesterday’s violence,” MLA Sikha Mitra had said.
Within hours of her comments, the Bowbazar MLA was indefinitely suspended for “anti-party activities”.
While the TMC publicly said she was suspended for flouting Mamata’s diktat against speaking to media, party sources had another tale to tell.
“Sikha Mitra was having a run-in with TMC leaders such as Partha Chatterjee. Her suspension is due to that,” said a party leader.
Mitra had recently sued State Industries and Commerce Minister and Mamata’s right hand Partha for criminal defamation after he said that she got a party ticket even though she was undeserving.
“Why should I repent? I haven’t said anything wrong. The people will judge me and what I’ve said,” Mitra reacted.
There is also a buzz in the political circles that both Mitra and her husband and TMC MP Somen Mitra may switch over to the Congress soon.
Not only did Mitra share the dais with state Congress leaders, but she also criticised the TMC leadership.
While Mamata has been trying to quell the increasing indiscipline and dissidence within the party, rebels such as Rabindranath Bhattacharya and Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay still wait to hear from her regarding their grievances.
Mamata has barred the party legislators and ministers from speaking to media.