Following Calcutta HC's decision on Abhishek Banerjee's travel, BJP MLA Arijit Roy called him the 'head of all goons' and said his 'countdown has begun'. Roy predicted jail for the TMC leader, citing his involvement in corruption cases.
BJP MLA Attacks TMC Leadership
BJP MLA Arijit Roy labelled TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee as the "head of all goons in Bengal," following Calcutta High Court's decision to decline immediate relief to Banerjee over permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. Roy further claimed that the countdown to imminent incarceration has begun. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Roy said, "Abhishek Banerjee is the head of all goons in Bengal. People of Bengal are confident that he is involved in all the corruption that occurred here. He may try all he wants, but the new Govt will investigate everything. It is certain that he will be jailed. His countdown has begun." Abhishek Banerjee is currently facing investigations and legal battles, including the West Bengal primary teachers' recruitment scam and defamation case in Madhya Pradesh.
The MLA further characterised the current state of the TMC as a total collapse as the party witnesses growing turmoil and power struggle, stating that its decline is due to a lack of policy or principles. "If a party doesn't have policy or principles, despite being in power for 15 years, it meets this fate. But we had not thought that this day would come this soon. TMC is finished within a month," he said.
Internal Power Struggle Rocks TMC
The remarks come amid an ongoing power struggle within the Trinamool Congress after a rebel faction led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee announced the formation of a new leadership structure within the party and appointed senior MLA Arup Roy as party chairperson. The faction also constituted a 30-member National Working Committee (NWC), naming Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Rathin Ghosh, Sabina Yasmin and Javed Khan among others to key positions.
The rebel faction claims support from a large section of TMC legislators and has asserted that it represents the "real TMC."
Mamata Banerjee's Faction Responds
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee's faction has also responded strongly on Tuesday with the TMC disciplinary committee issuing show-cause notices to several senior leaders, including Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Arup Roy, Javed Khan, Rathin Ghosh, Biplab Mitra, Snehasis Chakraborty and Sabina Yasmin, accusing them of anti-party activities.
Later, all eight leaders were expelled from the party.
Mamata Banerjee also moved swiftly to reinforce her authority, submitting an official list of office-bearers to the Election Commission, in which she was identified as the party chairperson. (ANI)
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