BJP MP from East Burdwan contemplates quitting politics

KOLKATA: Disgusted with the BJP, Sunil Mondol — party's MP from Burdwan east and a Trinamool turncoat — is contemplating to quit politics.

Mondol, who won as a Trinamool candidate in 2019 Lok Sabha election, later joined the BJP. He said BJP had systematically neglected the SC and ST people.

"Even while nominating for different seats, BJP leaders had neglected the SC and ST people. I tried to draw the attention of the Central leaders but turned a deaf ear. Under such a situation, I have decided to quit politics," he said.

Mondol had made statements which brought embarrassment to the saffron party. In one of the election meetings in Raina, he asked the party workers to take photographs of the Trinamool supporters and punish them after May 2.

Again, he had threatened a senior state government official that actions would be taken against him when Mamata Banerjee would not remain in power after May 2.

Meanwhile, state BJP leadership is caught in a dilemma after two of its MPs Nisit Pramanik and Jagannath Sarkar, who had contested the Assembly poll, got elected from Dinhata and Shantipur. Both will have to either resign as an MP or as an MLA.

Pramanik defeated the Trinamool nominee Udayan Guha by 57 votes while Sarkar defeated Ajay Dey in Shantipur.

If they resign, then there will be by-election either for the MP or MLA seats.

With the Trinamool Congress winning a landslide victory, it will be difficult for BJP to win the by-election and hence there is every chance of losing both the seats to Trinamool Congress.