Lack of organisational unity in Bengal BJP exposed: TMC

Kolkata: With a former TMC MLA of Dhupguri Assembly constituency defecting to BJP just ahead of the by-elections for the seat, the ruling party in the state has accused the saffron brigade of practising ‘washing machine politics’ and lacking organisational unity.

Within hours of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee campaigning in Dhupguri for the upcoming by-election, a former TMC MLA of the seat, Mitali Roy, joined BJP and accepted the party flag from the saffron brigade’s state unit president, Sukanta Majumdar.

Sukanta wrote on his X account that with the defection taking place within hours of Abhishek’s meeting marks the beginning of the end of Trinamool Congress.

Mitali Roy was present in Banerjee’s meeting on Sunday where BJP’s former Jalpaiguri district president Dwipendranath Pramanik joined TMC.

Asked what led her to defect to BJP, Roy alleged that her party (TMC) had alienated her since the last Assembly elections in the state in 2021.

She alleged that there was no communication from the side of the party till she was approached recently and “forced” to campaign for the by-elections. She then decided to switch camps to BJP, Roy said. TMC has accused the BJP of practising “washing machine politics”.

The term was first used by the party’s chairperson Mamata Banerjee to imply that politicians with a record of corruption join the BJP to escape probe by central law enforcement agencies.

Party leader Firhad Hakim said that Roy’s defection will not affect Trinamool in any way. He alleged that the former MLA did so because she was not given a ticket in 2021 Assembly polls because of a series of allegations against her relating to “anti-party activities.”

Hakim said that the very BJP which had accused Roy of corruption now inducted her into the party. TMC leader Shashi Panja wrote on X: “@BJP4Bengal’s Washing Machine politics continues! Foes of 2021 becoming Friends in 2023 displays nothing but political opportunism! This proves, once again, that BJP has no organisational hold of its own.”

Trinamool wrote on X: “Lack of organisational unity within BJP West Bengal exposed yet again! It’s befitting that BJP’s campaign in Dhupguri – that began with the infamous ‘kickgate’ incident – is closing with another case of infighting. It shows how chaos rules in the BJP unit of Dhupguri. This time, the people will not be swayed. On 5th Sept, they will choose TMC’s

developmental agendas over BJP’s facade!”