Prez of BJP’s trade union threatens to file defamation case against Barla

Siliguri: Infighting within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to the fore when Jugal Jha, president of Bharatiya Tea Workers Union (BTWU) raised allegations against John Barla, Union minister of state, for indulging in anti-organisational work and extortion. The Union minister was allegedly fired from the advisory post of the Union.

While speaking to mediapersons at the Siliguri Journalist’s Club on Tuesday, Jha even threatened to file a defamation case against John Barla.

Meanwhile, John Barla denied the allegations saying that Jha and his companions were already expelled from the party.

Jha said: “The minister has been working against the organisation for the last one year. We made him the advisor for the betterment of the Union but now he wants to take the organisation’s charge in his hands. He is doing this for personal benefits, which he gets from tea garden owners. He calls meetings unethically without informing the president and other leaders. He even singed several documents without consulting others despite having the right to sign any document.”

The BTWU expelled William Minj, Topen Soren and Paresh Cheek Baraik along with John Barla. They alleged that Barla was trying to be the chairman of the union and was therefore indulging in unethical activities. An organisational meeting was held in Siliguri on Sunday where a decision to remove John Barla from the post of advisor of the union was reached.

Vishal Lama, BJP MLA of Kalchini, Manoj Tigga, MLA of Madarihat and Puna Vengra MLA of Nagrakata were brought to the post.

Meanwhile, John Barla said: “I am the chairman of the party. A few days ago, in a meeting with the party leaders, Jugal Jha was expelled from the party.

How can he expel me? They are doing this to defame me.”

With the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year, such allegations clearly show infighting within the party.