Kolkata: Actor-turned-BJP MLA Hiran Chatterjee on Wednesday followed the footsteps of Union minister Shantanu Thakur and quit all WhatsApp groups of the party's state unit but asserted that he has no plans to quit the saffron camp.
Chatterjee had joined BJP about a year ago and had won the Kharagpur Sadar assembly seat in the April-May election last year.
Thakur had quit all WhatsApp groups of BJP's state unit on Sunday alleging under-representation of the backward Matua community, to which he belongs, in the recently formed state and district committees of the party.
Chatterjee, who had been the sole winner from the party in Paschim Medinipur district in the assembly election, told reporters: "My decision was prompted by the realisation that my service is not required by state BJP. Most decisions relating to programmes of the party in my constituency are taken without my knowledge."
He said the BJP central leadership — party president J P Nadda and others were sympathetic to his situation and promised to take up the issue with the state unit, but "nothing has happened."Chatterjee without naming Medinipur MP Dilip Ghosh, who is also the BJP national vice-president, said:
"The Kharagpur (Paschim Medinipur) district unit president who was the former state unit chief unilaterally takes all decisions regarding the programmes of the party unit when I am away from my constituency."
To questions on whether he has any plans to quit the party, Hiran replied in the negative.
"No. I want to work under the leadership of Narendra Modi. I have been voted by people of Kharagpur Sadar as BJP candidate. I will work for the people of Kharagpur as a loyal BJP worker under the guidance of our central leaders," he said categorically.
Chatterjee had voiced his reservation earlier too when his picture went missing from BJP hoardings put up in Kharagpur town. Pictures of Ghosh, Nadda, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were seen in the hoardings.
According to TMC leaders, the internal feud within the state BJP has increased considerably and as a result, the grudge and disgruntlement of the party leaders are out in the open.
TMC leader Saugata Roy said: "The internal rift within the state BJP is increasing and as a result, most of the leaders showed their grudge over the state leadership in handling situations carefully. This has prompted many leaders to leave BJP or their WhatsApp groups."
Sources close to Thakur claimed that his problem essentially is the inclusion of people from Dilip Ghosh's camp in the state committee. Thakur was sidelined by Ghosh when he was the state president.
Roy said: "Many BJP leaders have already contacted us and many are in the pipeline to join TMC. Trinamool will now scrutinise before inducting BJP leaders."