Will skip all party events, says BJP MLA from Raiganj

KOLKATA: Infighting in the saffron camp continues unabated in Bengal. The latest instance of BJP's internal strife came to the fore in North Bengal as party MLA from Raiganj Krishna Kalyani on Sunday announced that he would not take part in any programme of the party.

Addressing a press conference, Kalyani said he would distance himself from the party and would not take part in any of its programmes. He said he had to take the decision as he found it difficult to work in the party. On being asked whether he would join Trinamool Congress (TMC), Kalyani said: "No one can say anything about the future."

Four BJP MLAs have already joined TMC. The first BJP MLA to join TMC after the party's landslide victory was Mukul Roy, MLA from Krishnanagar North. Three BJP MLAs joined TMC last week. They are Tanmay Ghosh, MLA from Bishnupur in Bankura district, Biswajit Das, MLA from Bagda in North 24-Parganas and Soumen Roy, MLA from Kaliagunj in North Dinajpur.

Kalyani said his differences with Basudeb Sarkar, BJP district president of South Dinajpur, began when the latter took decisions without discussing with him. "No one can work freely and independently in BJP. So, it is best to distance myself from the party," he said.

TMC leaders said many BJP MLAs from North Bengal had contacted the party expressing their willingness to join Trinamool.