Mamata Banerjee, Dilip Ghosh (File photo): BJP says ‘TMC no longer exists’ as Mamata takes charge after Chandrima’s resignation
NEW DELHI: West Bengal minister and BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Sunday claimed the Trinamool Congress was witnessing a “wave of resignations” and alleged that the party “no longer exists”, a day after former state president Chandrima Bhattacharya quit all party posts, prompting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to reassume charge of the party’s state unit.Following Bhattacharya’s resignation, Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced that she would once again serve as the Trinamool Congress’ West Bengal president, saying she would personally oversee the organisation amid the ongoing political turmoil. In a Facebook address, she accused the BJP of engineering defections through intimidation, asserted that the party’s supporters, not its offices or election symbol, defined its identity, and challenged rebels to join the BJP openly if they had the courage.Reacting to the developments, Ghosh questioned Bhattacharya’s tenure as the state’s finance minister and criticised the Trinamool leadership.”A wave of resignations has begun within the TMC. This trend will continue because, in reality, their party no longer exists. Chandrima Bhattacharya served as Finance Minister for so many years; was she unaware of the budget? Was the budget prepared without consulting her? Why did this happen?” he told reporters. The BJP leader also took a swipe at Banerjee over the state’s budget preparation.”Mamata Banerjee used to claim that she prepared the budget while on a treadmill. Preparing a budget on a treadmill is madness. That is precisely why the situation in Bengal is so dire. Today, now that the party is finished, she (Chandrima Bhattacharya) has switched sides and is making such statements. Why didn’t she raise her voice earlier? People elected and sent you there. If work wasn’t getting done, why didn’t you say anything back then?,” he added.Bhattacharya resigned from all party posts on Saturday, saying remarks made by Banerjee accusing her of “handing over” Trinamool Bhavan to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction had deeply hurt her.”You saw what happened yesterday. An incident happened at Trinamool Bhavan. After that, Mamata ji spoke to me over the phone. She told me, ‘You handed over Trinamool Bhavan to them.’ This hurt me. There was no need to say this,” Bhattacharya told ANI.Her resignation came amid escalating infighting within the Trinamool Congress after a rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee took control of the party’s state headquarters in Kolkata. The building was later locked from inside by its owner following reports that the rebel faction had occupied the premises.Meanwhile, TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh criticised Bhattacharya, accusing her of arrogance.”I will speak on this later, not right now. Anyone can make any decision, but when Mamata Banerjee was the CM, she (Chandrima Bhattacharya) had the most important ministry (department). Now she is showing arrogance,” he said.
