MLA and senior leader of Trinamul in Cooch Behar Mihir Goswami on Saturday expressed his discontent over the party’s functioning and said he would abstain from all political activities to be taken up by the party in the coming days.

Goswami, 67, who is the MLA of Cooch Behar South Assembly seat, and a TMC member since its inception, even went ahead to say that if party supremo Mamata Banerjee asked him to resign from the MLA’s post for this decision — staying away from party activities — he was ready for it.

Goswami’s decision comes as a setback for Trinamul in the district ahead of the Assembly polls in 2021.

On Friday, district party president Partha Pratim Roy had announced the new district committee and block committees. Goswami, sources said, has not been included in the district committee.

On Saturday, Goswami told the media that in context of the district committee, he felt that proposals of MLAs had been simply ignored.

“Whether it is the block committees or the district committee, no discussion was held with the MLAs. For my constituency, no one consulted with me. In such a situation, I feel people like me are not fit for the party. That is why I have decided to completely abstain from all organisational responsibilities and duties,” he said.

“If my party supremo (Mamata) instructs me to resign from the MLA’s post because of my decision, I am ready to do it,” he added.

It was learnt that after this, the BJP sent Goswami feelers to join the party, but he said he would not quit Trinamul. “I have been with Trinamul since its inception will not quit the party,” he said.

Earlier, Goswami was the chairman of the party’s committee in his Assembly area and also in government nominated posts such as Jaigaon Development Authority and North Bengal State Transport Corporation chairperson.

In Cooch Behar, the main problem that Trinamul has been facing for two years is infighting. Time and again, state leaders and even Mamata had asked district leaders to join hands, work together and refrain from violence. “It seems that internal differences still persist within the party. It is a challenge for the district president and other leaders to handle the situation, particularly as BJP is steadily expanding its base in the district. Such remarks from a senior leader like Goswami are a fresh poser,” said a political observer.

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