KOLKATA: With actor-turned-Trinamool Congress lawmaker Tapas Pal completing one year in prison on Saturday over alleged involvement in Rose Valley scam, Opposition parties in West Bengal are demanding his resignation.
A demand for by-election in Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency over non-utilisation of Members of Parliament Local Area Development Fund Scheme (MPLADS) funds which have reportedly stalled several development projects in the constituency have also been raised by the Oppositions.
Sources revealed that while Tapas Pal was not much visible in the constituency, the two-time MP from Krishnanagar in Nadia district was much ahead than other MPs in spending the MPLADS funds allotted to him. However, several major projects in the constituency have been stalled over the past one year due to the need of Tapas Pal’s signature for sanctioning them.
“We cannot spend a single rupee of MPLADS funds for the projects without the signature of the sitting MP,” said Nadia district magistrate Sumit Gupta.
Sources revealed that MPLADS funds are not only returned if not spent, if the sitting MP does not issue ‘Utilisation Certificate’ of the spending, they are high chances of allocation of future funds being put on hold.
On the other hand, the MPLADS funds issue has bolstered opposition parties BJP and CPM who have demanded the resignation of Tapas Pal from his post and by-election to the constituency to ensure that the people of Krishnanagar do not have to face problems because of their MP’s alleged involvement in Rose Valley scam.
“People had voted for development. Why should they suffer for TMC’s involvement in scams? So, the ruling party should ensure that Tapas Pal resigns from his post so that Krishnanagar can go to by-elections,” CPM district secretary Suman Dey said.
On the other hand, district BJP spokesperson Sandeep Mazumdar sounded confident that the ruling party will lose in Krishnanagar in the event of a by-election. “TMC will be answerable to the people of Krishnanagar for making a corrupt person as their candidate for the constituency. People will give a befitting reply,” he said.
However, TMC district president Gourishankar Dutta blamed the government for the entire fiasco. “It is the Narendra Modi government who would be answerable for arresting an innocent man for their political vendetta,” he said.