Kolkata: With Trinamool Congress's rebel MPs announcing that their bloc would merge with the Tripura-based Nationalist Citizens' Party of India (NCPI), the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday said the decision would put all speculation to rest.
While unease was brewing in the BJP over the fate of the rebels, Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and Union minister and Bongaon MP Shantanu Thakur went on record to say that the doors were shut to Trinamool leaders seeking to 'switch over'.
'There are hundreds of political parties in the country and thousands of leaders. They have the freedom to support or reject any political party. It is up to NCPI to decide on the fate of the Trinamool leaders who were rejected by the people of Bengal. The developments have shown that BJP is driven by ideology. It is not a hotel where one can check in and check out at will,' BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said.
In the morning, Thakur clearly said that BJP will not accept the rebels. 'I don't know about the meetings. They are trying to take a chance to join BJP. But BJP's doors are closed now and it will not accept them,' he said.
In the afternoon, the rebel TMC MPs held a meeting at the residence of Union minister Bhupender Yadav in the presence of BJP's Nishikant Dubey. Union minister Sukanta Majumdar, however, saw nothing unusual in the rebel MPs meeting Yadav. 'BJP leaders, unlike Abhishek Banerjee, are approachable and anybody can meet them and have a chat. Sudip Bandyopadhyay is a senior leader and he can speak to anyone in BJP. The party will now be reduced to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee,' said Majumdar.
Bhattacharya had earlier spoken against 'Trinamoolisation' of BJP and emphasised that the party will not admit 'tainted' individuals from TMC. He had stressed that BJP's strength comes from its grassroots workers, not defections.
Bhattacharya had clearly indicated the opinion of BJP's central leaders of not inducting the rebels. Following that, BJP functionaries have consistently rejected speculation of absorbing the dissidents.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday indicated a larger number of Trinamool MPs quitting the party. At a meeting with businessmen in Kolkata, he said: 'Television is showing that a north Kolkata senior leader is roaming around in New Delhi. None is left now. Everything is finished… the party was ruined in a month's time.'
Alleging that TMC has been reduced to a symbol now, BJP general secretary Locket Chatterjee on Sunday said: 'It is up to them if they want to support NDA or not. We have understood that there is nothing beyond a logo in Trinamool Congress.'
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata
Stay updated with the latest Kolkata news. Download the TOI App.
About the Author
Rohit Khanna covers sectors like government finance, economy, industry and issues related to financial crime.
