KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress on Sunday expelled a leader of its East Midnapore district unit, Kanishka Panda, considered close to party heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari.
Panda, the general secretary of the district unit, was expelled from TMC for alleged anti-party activities, a party leader said.
"Panda made statements against Abhishek Banerjee, the president of the TMC youth wing, and even questioned the way the party was run by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," the leader said.
He also spoke in favour of Adhikari after the party made it clear that there would be no more reconciliation attempts with the disgruntled leader who gave up his cabinet portfolios amid speculations of switching over to the BJP, he said.
"The state leadership cannot take these activities lightly," the leader said.
A defiant Panda said that he feels "relieved" with the party's decision as he had been under serious stress over the past few days despite "speaking the truth".
"I diligently served this party, which threw me out after all these years of working at the grassroot-level.
I remain on the side of Suvendu Adhikari.
We will continue to serve the people," he told reporters.
In the last two weeks, Adhikari loyalists in East Midnapore, his home ground, were either removed from posts or ousted after Banerjee asked the district leadership not to tolerate anti-party activities.