Defiant MLAs, MPs Put Didi in Tight Spot

Defiant MLAs, MPs Put Didi in Tight Spot

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, is seemingly a worried a lot in the wake of party MPs and MLAs voicing their dissent and raising allegations of corruption and criminalisation within the party.

In the latest development, TMC MP from Jadavpore and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s grand nephew Sugata Basu has expressed concern about criminals within his party and said politics should be freed from corruption.

He had earlier said those involved in the multi-crore Saradha scam needed to be punished and the CBI was on the right track.

“Criminalisation of politics is a matter of concern and scamsters and robbers have entered all political parties, including mine. Politics needs to be cleansed. I will stick to value-based politics as long as I can serve the people. Will it be any good, if a person like me leave politics and open it up for criminals?” asked Basu, who was elected from the Lok Sabha seat which Mamata once represented.

TMC chief whip in the state Assembly Shobhandeb Chatterjee seconded Basu’s views and said, “Criminals are part of the society and naturally they try to enter ruling parties. But, it has to be seen that they don’t occupy the centre stage. They should be relegated to the back row.”

Shobhandeb, known for his clean image, was never given due importance in the TMC. Though a veteran trade unionist, he was not given charge of the INTTUC.

In another instance, TMC MLA Swapan Ghosh from Suri in Birbhum district has written to Mamata about corrupt elements ruling his home district.

Several other TMC legislators have been openly defying the party chief’s political stand regarding the CBI probe or opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

TMC MLA and vice-chairman of Bidhannagar Municipality Sabyasachi Datta said it was unfair to oppose the CBI probe. “I feel staging a demonstration against the CBI, which is within my ward in Salt Lake, is unconstitutional,” he said.

Earlier, much to Mamata’s chagrin, TMC MP and former Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi had heaped praise on Modi, describing him as a “man with a vision and mission, whom all should support to rebuild India”.

Trivedi was also critical about the TMC stalling Parliament.

“It is a place for debate and discussion, and not a place to display Opposition power to stall the House. Such an approach is against the country. The TMC has lost a golden opportunity to improve Bengal because of ego problem,” he had said.

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