Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 4 (ANI): Amidst the ongoing political crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), expelled party leader Sandipan Saha on Thursday alleged that no leader within the party was allowed to speak against Abhishek Banerjee. Saha also claimed that despite TMC’s loss, the leaders were instructed to applaud the Diamond Harbour MP.
“As for the ‘trigger point,’ it occurred following the party’s electoral defeat. When we attended the party meeting, a directive was issued to all MLAs. No one was permitted to utter a single word of criticism regarding Abhishek. Instead, we were instructed that he had performed ‘exceptionally well’ and that everyone must rise to accord him a standing ovation,” said Saha.
Saha also mentioned that the directives were issued to those leaders as well who had been part of TMC before Abhishek Banerjee, “was likely still attending school.”
“This included MLAs who have been serving in the Assembly since a time when Abhishek Banerjee was likely still attending school. They, too, were compelled to stand up and join in the standing ovation. Inevitably, such an experience leaves a lingering sense of unease… Today, when people finally have the opportunity to reject this attitude, they are doing exactly that,” he said.
Speaking on the TMC officially nominating Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the LoP, Saha claimed that despite being absent during the process the names of MLAs were “inscribed in block letters.”
Saha stated that when the rebel MLAs began to voice out their concerns on the matter, the Speaker ordered a formal enquiry into the matter after a letter was submitted by the rebel TMC legislators to him. As the investigation of the matter progressed, evidence began to surface confirming the veracity of these allegations.
“Some MLAs were not even present for selecting the LoP, yet their names were inscribed in block letters… If one views this through the lens of morality, the fact that you proceeded in this manner despite already possessing the requisite numbers casts a shadow of doubt over all of us… When we voiced our objections, we submitted a formal letter to the Speaker, who then ordered an inquiry into the matter. Once the inquiry commenced, evidence began to surface confirming the veracity of these allegations. Other MLAs began reaching out to us,” said Saha.
Saha further said that all the rebel MLAs had to form a distinct group because they had to serve their respective constituencies and effectively discharge their duties within the assembly. The expelled TMC MLA asserted that the rebel faction was determined that the group should constitute a “principal opposition” among whom the LoP should be elected so that all the legislators could perform legislative functions with due diligence and efficacy.
“After deliberating among ourselves, we concluded that if we were to effectively discharge our duties within the Assembly and serve our respective constituencies, we needed to form a distinct group. Furthermore, we determined that this group should constitute the ‘Principal Opposition’ and that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) should be selected from within this group, thereby enabling us to perform our legislative functions with due diligence and efficacy,” said Sandipan Saha.
The group led by Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee have now claimed the LoP position in the state assembly after submitting 58 MLA signatures to the speaker. While Saha and Banerjee have been declared expelled by Mamata Banerjee the former Bengal CM is yet to formally react to the latest rebellion in the party. (ANI)
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