KOLKATA: After Suvendu Adhikari, another minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet Rajib Banerjee has set alarm bells ringing in the ruling Trinamool Congress alleging that those who keep the leadership in "good humour" are brought to the forefront while hard workers are shoved to backbenches.
Banerjee claimed that there are some people in politics nowadays who think that enjoying power, and not serving people, is the goal.
Speaking at a programme in the city on Saturday, the state forest minister said, "A political platform can be utilised to help numerous people, but some are using it to achieve their personal goals.
"It hurts me that those who are working in the interest of people and are able and hardworking are not getting due importance, while those sitting in air-conditioned chambers and think that the public can be fooled are getting importance just because they keep the people, who matter to them, in good humour."
Reacting to the charge, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said that if anyone wants to leave, he may do so.
"There is only one tree, Mamata Banerjee, if any one wants to leave its shade, he is free to go," Banerjee said. However, state Urban development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim sounded more accommodative when he said that Rajib Banerjee is a "good person" and has been working hard as a minister in the forest department.
"Mamata Banerjee keeps an eye on everything," he said about the allegations made by the state forest minister.
West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said that Banerjee is a good minister and no one has any complaint against him.
"If he wants to work with dignity, he should come out of the party," Ghosh said on Sunday, indicating that Banerjee is welcome in the saffron fold.
Heavyweight leader Suvendu Adhikari, who holds considerable hold in Purba and Paschim Medinipur and some other south Bengal districts, had recently resigned from the state cabinet following differences with the top leadership of TMC.
Efforts by veteran party leaders like Saugata Roy and Sudip Bandopadhyay for a reconciliation have failed to placate Adhikari, who is yet to disclose his future political path.