Kolkata, July 15: The speculation surrounding Madan Mitra has finally come to an end. The senior leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and MLA from Kamrahati resigned from all positions within Mamata Banerjee’s faction on Wednesday. He has now joined the opposing group led by leader of the opposition, Ritabrata Banerjee.
While seated with Ritabrata Banerjee in the West Bengal Assembly, Mitra announced his resignation from all TMC positions. He criticized TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, blaming him for the party’s decline.
Mitra stated, “The current state of the party is due to Abhishek Banerjee, and he is the reason for its downfall.”
Despite switching factions, Mitra expressed gratitude towards Mamata Banerjee, acknowledging her long-standing support for party workers. He confirmed his participation in the opposing faction’s ‘Shaheed Divas’ event in Kolkata on July 21.
Earlier in the day, Mitra drove himself to the Assembly and then visited Ritabrata Banerjee’s office. After formally joining the new faction, he remarked that his political journey has reached a significant turning point. He reiterated that he represents the people of Bengal first and foremost, and he has resigned from all organizational responsibilities in Mamata Banerjee’s faction.
He recited a couplet, stating, “I am not just an MLA for TMC; I am an MLA for all of Bengal. I am a member of the Assembly. I have sacrificed everything for TMC. I have resigned from all positions I held.”
This development comes at a time when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Mitra’s wife and sons in connection with a money laundering investigation related to an alleged municipal recruitment scam in West Bengal. Following the summons, Mitra visited the home of rebel MLA Sandipan Saha in central Kolkata, leading to heightened speculation about his faction switch.
Mitra’s move is seen as another significant blow to Mamata Banerjee’s faction amid a party split following the Assembly elections. Over 60 MLAs have already joined the opposing faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, leaving Mamata Banerjee with very few supporters.
Madan Mitra was considered one of Mamata Banerjee’s trusted and loyal leaders, having held several key responsibilities within the organization, including the president of the Dum Dum-Barrackpore organizational district, head of the party’s hawker wing, and the chief coordinator in the Assembly.
Several senior leaders who previously held significant positions in Mamata Banerjee’s faction, including Farhad Hakim, Chandrima Bhattacharya, and Jyoti Priya Mallick, have already joined the opposing faction. With Mitra’s switch, another prominent name has been added to this list.
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