Hours after Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta quit the party, the Trinamul Congress said that he should have reached out to the leadership over his grievances rather than just resigning.

Speaking to reporters at Calcutta, Firhad hakim, senior TMC leader and minister, said he was shocked at Dutta’s resignation.

“Being a senior leader, Dutta should have approached the top leadership if he had any grievances. What I know is that Dutta had some issues with a section of local party leaders. Can it be a reason good enough to sever all ties in the present situation,” Hakim said.

“I can only say that Dutta was liked by ‘Didi’ (Mamata Banerjee) and their relation was beyond politics. We all know what she did during his serious ailment,” he added.

TMC district president of North 24 Parganas, Jyotipriyo Mallick said TMC is like a banyan tree, which will not be affected with a few leaves falling off as it is deeply entrenched in the lives of the people of Bengal.

“Our leader is Mamata Banerjee and she always has the backing of the masses,” he said.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh called the ruling party a sinking ship and said nobody, who has self-respect, would remain in the party.

“Only its supremo (Mamata Banerjee) and her nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) will be left in the party along with a handful of their supporters,” he said.

Ghosh said Dutta and former minister Suvendu Adhikari are welcome to join the BJP along with other TMC leaders who have quit the party.

Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh of the BJP urged Dutta to join his party and claimed, “Shilbhadra-da was not being allowed to work in the Trinamul Congress.”