Induction of turncoats causes infighting in saffron camp

Kolkata: Infighting erupts within the BJP again as the old-timers are vehemently opposing the new entrants, who have quit other parties to join the saffron brigade.

The old-timers claimed that the turncoats had joined BJP to fulfil their own

interests.

The rift came out in open after the South Kolkata district president of BJP, Shankar Sikdar, criticised Sovan Chatterjee and Baisakhi Banerjee after they went to attend a

meeting.

"We are not going to accept those who have come from other parties and CPI (M)," the saffron party workers said. Without naming Sovan, Sikdar said: "Some migratory birds are coming to BJP. We are not going to listen to them.

They have not done anything for our party. They have come to fulfil their own

interest."

Meanwhile, Soumendu Adhikari— who was recently removed from the administrator's post from the Contai civic body—jumped ship along with 15 other Trinamool Congress councillors to join BJP at a programme on

Friday.

Suvendu Adhikari, Soumendu's brother, a BJP leader who had defected from Trinamool Congress

recently, handed over the party flags to the new joinees.

Amid such defections, veteran Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy lambasted Suvendu Adhikari for his remark against Abhishek Banerjee. Reacting sharply against Adhikari's claim that the central agencies would round up 'Bhaipo', Roy referred to Sudipto

Sen's letter.

"One, who lives in glass house, should not throw stones at others. Suvendu should answer how his name has appeared in the letter written by Sudipto Sen, which claimed that the former had taken Rs 6 crore from him,"

Roy said.

It may be recalled that BJP has removed the video of Narada sting operation showing Adhikari taking Rs 5 lakh from a

person.

Meanwhile, posters citing alleged details about Suvendu's unaccounted assets including cash worth Rs 300 crore, petrol pumps, hotels and heavy duty dumpers, have surfaced in East Midnapore.