TMC expels youth leader for ‘extortion’

Kolkata: To further reiterate its stand that the party doesn’t tolerate corruption, Trinamool Congress (TMC )expelled another youth leader — a member of Panihati Municipality — who was allegedly extorting from people in the area.

It is learnt that TMC youth leader Somnath Bhattacharya, was the chairman of the party’s youth wing in ward 10 of Panihati Municipality. According to locals, Somnath was also a worker in the Panihati Municipality. Complaints against him of committing extortion in the area was coming to the party for a while now.

He was also accused of committing this extortion by promising people to get them a house under the government scheme.

He has also been removed from his position in the municipality, as learnt from sources. This is the third youth leader that the party has expelled after Kuntal Ghosh and Santanu Banerjee who have been arrested by ED for their alleged involvement in the SSC recruitment corruption case.

The party had previously suspended its heavyweight leader Partha Chatterjee after he was arrested in the SSC recruitment corruption case. The ED had unearthed a huge sum of money from a residence of Partha’s close aide. He was arrested on charges of money laundering.

Shashi Panja, senior Trinamool Congress leader, recently clarified the party’s stance when she said that TMC will not tolerate corruption and has taken action in the past and will do so again in

the future. Panja also pointed out that although Trinamool Congress took action against its party leaders, Opposition party members, whose names allegedly surfaced in the list of Group-C staff who were illegally recruited, have not been suspended or expelled.