KOLKATA: With Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta's exit from Trinamool Congress on Friday, four Bengal lawmakers have now left the ruling party in a span of 48 hours.
The exits of the lawmakers started after TMC chief Mamata Banerjee’s former lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari severed his all links with the ruling party.
The changes in the political allegiance of the lawmakers and functionaries of the party’s lower-tier are said to have deepened the crisis for Bengal’s ruling party ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Many of those, who stepped out of the TMC’s fold, are likely to see share the stage with Union Home minister Amit Shah who will be on his two-day Bengal visit starting from Saturday.
Explaining the reason behind his resignation, Shilbhadra Dutta said, "Under the present circumstances, it is not possible for me to continue in the TMC. I have not yet decided what will be the fate of my political career."
There are strong speculations that Dutta might join the BJP. Hours after Dutta resigned, the portrait of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was removed from Dutta’s office.
On Thursday, Pandaveswar MLA Jitendra Tiwari and lawmaker from Bishnupur Shyamaprasad Mukherjee severed their links with the ruling party.
Though Suvendu Adhikari is yet to join the saffron camp, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to provide him Z category security cover in West Bengal with a bulletproof vehicle and Y+ security ring in other states. According to BJP sources, the rebellious TMC leader will come under the fold of the saffron camp on Saturday in presence of the Union Home Minister in a Midnapore rally.
The MHA, in its order, said, "Security arrangement for Suvendu Adhikari has been examined in this Ministry in consultation with central security agencies and it has been decided to provide him Z category CRPF security cover with the bulletproof vehicle in West Bengal."
On Friday, a section of BJP’s Bengal functionaries expressed their objection to TMC MLA Jitendra Tiwari’s inclusion in the party. In a message, Asansol MP and Union minister Babul Supriyo said the final decision would be taken by the party’s central leadership but he would not welcome Tiwari.
Echoing the same, BJP’s women wing president Agnimitra Paul said she does not like Tiwari because of his muscleman image in Asansol. Sayantan Basu, the general secretary of the party, also expressed his objection.