A Bijoya Sammilani or post-Puja meet organised by the state government ran into trouble on Thursday as a Trinamul Congress lawmaker publicly expressed his discontent over not getting invited to the event.
Trinamul’s Rajarhat-Newtown MLA Tapas Chatterjee claimed that though the event took place at a venue situated within his constituency, he received no invitation.
“I had no idea of this event, nor was I invited to it. The same thing happened last year and I asked the then industry minister Partha Chatterjee about it. But I received no proper reply,” Chatterjee told journalists on Thursday. The event took place at Eco Park on Wednesday and was chaired by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
“Probably my status is not right to participate in an event such as this. The event took place in my assembly constituency and I wasn't invited. This is not just my insult but an insult to the people of New Town,” he claimed, adding that his party runs on distinctively two separate classes. While some leaders are treated as masters others receive the treatment of servants.
“I probably belong to the second category,” Chatterjee said.
Though he didn’t name anyone, sources close to Chatterjee said that he was upset with former local MLA and chairman of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation Sabyasachi Dutta. Dutta, who was present at Wednesday’s event, had switched to the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in 2021. He was fielded by the saffron camp against Sujit Bose from Bidhannagar. Chatterjee replaced him in the Rajarhat-Newtown constituency.
However, after the BJP’s defeat, Dutta came back to the Trinamul's fold contested in the Bidhannagar civic polls, and was selected as the chairman of the corporation by Mamata herself. It is said, that Chatterjee believes that Dutta--who shares a strained relationship with Chatterjee--played a role in him not receiving an invitation.
Dutta refused to make any statement on Chatterjee's claims and only said that Wednesday’s event was organised by the state government and the invitations were sent by the state's chief secretary. However, Chatterjee’s grievance was echoed by another MLA and former state minister Madan Mitra, who claimed to have been kept away from government events in the last few years.
Trinamul leadership, according to sources, is not happy with Chatterjee's sudden outburst. Many have said that he should have made his grievance known through the proper channel within the party. However, the MLA claims that since he respects Mamata immensely, he doesn't know how to reach her.
The inner grumblings of the Trinamul have prompted the leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to take a dig at the party.
On Thursday, he reiterated his claim that the Trinamul is not a political party, but a private limited company and everyone else other than Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee is treated as servants.
Meanwhile, Adhikari on Thursday said that he will be inaugurating Kali pujas across ten districts of the state starting from Asansol. “My target is to inaugurate at least 50 Kali pujas and thus I’ll start from October 20, though the puja is on October 24. I’ve received around 1000 invitations so far,” Adhikari said, adding that he has inaugurated over 34 Durga pujas this year and visited at least 49 pujas in total.
Adhikari's inauguration spree, according to sources close to him, is his way of combating Mamata who inaugurates hundreds of Durga and Kali pujas, every year.
Adhikari has also called for a Bijoya Sammilani for saffron MLAs on October 20.
Trinamul's north Calcutta veteran Tapas Roy defended the party's Rajarhat-New Town MLA. When asked about a similar omission of the party's Dum Dum MP Saugata Roy, the Baranagar MLA said that too should not have happened.
