Anyone flouting party’s norms will be punished: TMC chief

During a meeting at her Kalighat residence, Banerjee met the MLAs, MPs, district presidents and office bearers and those who lost in the Assembly elections. 

Earlier, she talked to some of the nominees who had been defeated by the alliance in the election. Banerjee said the defeat of Manish Gupta from Jadavpur, Chandrima Bhattacharya from Dum Dum north and Ajay Dey from Shantipur “most unfortunate”. 

She said in Jadavpur, excess police had created panic among the voters. Earlier, she had said that the party would use these leaders. 

After analysing the reports received from different districts, it was found that backstabbing and non-cooperation had been the reasons responsible for the defeat of many candidates.  

Nirbed Roy, who contested from Tamluk and Soham Chakraborty, who fought from Barjora in Bankura, were defeated by 540 and 600 votes respectively. Again, Manju Bose, who had carried out development work in Noapara in North 24-Parganas was defeated. 

“The party will not tolerate any indiscipline and anyone flouting party’s norms will be punished,” she said. It may be recalled that while addressing the district leaders before the elections, Banerjee had urged them to give up infighting and work together to ensure victory of the candidates. 

But despite her caution there have been constituencies where the groups and sub-groups did not cooperate with the party’s nominee. As Banerjee had visited all the constituencies she is taking this as her “personal loss of face”. 

Though the party has come back with overwhelming majority with 211 seats, nine ministers have been defeated. Two minister Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury and Sabitri Mitra, both ministers lost in Malda and the party could not open its accounts in the district.

Both Baichunj Bhutia and  Rahim Nabi  who were defeated by alliance  candidates alleged that apart from the alliance some leaders of the party had played a role in defeating them. She told the MLAs not to get disheartened if they fail to get a berth in the ministry. “All the MLAs cannot be ministers and so do not get disheartened.  Work for people to ensure sustainable development,” she told the MLAs.

The party on Wednesday made Jaya Ghosh state president of TMCP replacing Ashok Rudra.  Ghosh, who hails from North 24-Parganas, is known for her fighting spirit. 

Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and tendered her resignation as the Chief Minister. Her council-of-ministers have also resigned. Banerjee will taking oath on May 27. Earlier, on May 20 she met the Governor after being elected as the leader of the party with a proposal to form government. 

It was learnt that her ministry will have around 42 ministers. As nine ministers of the erstwhile ministry had lost the election, there would be nine new faces. Prabir Ghosal, journalist turned politician, was likely to get a berth in the new ministry along with Indranil Sen who was elected from Chandannagore. Mohua Moitra, who was elected from Karimpur, a Left stronghold, is likely to be a minister.