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regular-article-logo Friday, 22 November 2024

TMC head count at Mamata’s home ahead of Shah’s visit to Bengal

The party chief is expected to clearly tell those looking to jump ship before the Bengal elections to do so right away

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya Calcutta Published 28.01.21, 01:56 AM
The ruling party has been jolted on many occasions since November with desertions.

The ruling party has been jolted on many occasions since November with desertions. Telegraph file picture

Mamata Banerjee has summoned all her party MLAs and MPs for a meeting at her Kalighat residence on Friday, a day ahead of Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Bengal, with sources saying she was likely to issue a stern message of “zero tolerance” for sabotage from within.

Sources in Trinamul said the party chief was expected to clearly tell those looking to jump ship before the Bengal elections to do so right away.

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“It will be a head count of sorts. Those skipping that meeting — without good reason — will certainly be viewed as the most likely to switch sides before the elections,” said a senior c MP.

The ruling party has been jolted on many occasions since November with desertions.

A Howrah faction — comprising the likes of former minister Rajib Banerjee and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, besides MLAs Baishali Dalmiya and Jatu Lahiri, and MP Prasun Banerjee — is likely to defects. Some, if not all, of them may join the BJP during Union home minister Shah’s weekend trip to Bengal, said the Trinamul MP. A Hooghly faction is likely to sway. Since Suvendu Adhikari’s defection, the BJP is trying to engineer en masse switchovers.

“We still have 200-plus MLAs left, besides 21 Lok Sabha MPs and 13 Rajya Sabha members. Absences will be carefully noted,” he said.

Other than the unofficial roll call, Mamata is likely to issue guidelines for the party’s poll campaign. “The national political scenario, especially in the context of the farmers’ movement, will be factored in...so that we can create optimal discomfort for the BJP,” a minister added.

The party issued a whip for all its MLAs to attend the brief Assembly session on Thursday to discuss and pass a resolution against the controversial farm laws.

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