TMC fights within, rivals out together - Trinamul protests against own MLA

TT, Jalpaiguri, March 2: A group of Trinamul leaders and activists today marched with a flex banner that held a request to Mamata Banerjee to not give a ticket to party legislator Anantadeb Adhikari to contest the Mainaguri seat.

The procession was led by Mainaguri-I block Trinamul president Manoj Roy. Over 100 Trinamul workers were at the march, holding the flex banner that carried the message in Bengali.

" Amra Mainaguri Vidhan Sabha kendrer Trinamul Congress kormibrindo, Mamata Didi apnar shonge ageo chilam, ekhono achhi. Kintu 16 Mainaguri (SC) Vidhan Sabha kendre Anantadeb Adhikari ke punoray prarthipad diley Trinamul Congress er khoti hoye jabe. Amra ekantobhabe abedan kori, kono motei jate Anantadeb Adhikari ke prarthi na kora hoy(We, the Trinamul workers of Mainaguri Assembly segment, were there with you and will be with you, Mamata Didi. But if Anantadeb Adhikari is again given the ticket for 16 Mainaguri (SC) seat, it will adversely impact Trinamul. We urge you that Anandadeb Adhikari should not be made the candidate under any circumstances)," the flex read.

In 2011, Adhikari, then in the RSP, had defeated Juthika Roy Basunia of Trinamul to win Mainaguri. He switched to Trinamul in 2013 ahead of the Rajya Sabha election. Trinamul leader Mukul Roy was instrumental in inducting him into the party. A byelection was held in 2014 and Adhikari, this time a Trinamul candidate, won by around 30,000 votes.

Local Trinamul workers at the rally said the MLA had no connection with grassroots workers and had brought no development to Mainaguri.

When told about the allegations against him and the flex that was brought out today, Adhikari said he would not comment on the matter. "I will inform our state leaders about the entire issue," he said.

Sariful Islam, a Trinamul worker, said: "There has been comprehensive development across the state, but Mainaguri is an exception. The block has not witnessed any development, unlike other parts of north Bengal in the past few years. The local MLA is completely responsible for this situation. Anantadeb Adhikari also lacks connection with party workers at the grassroots. He hardly meets workers and local leaders and is always busy with some of his close aides."

A local Trinamul leader echoed Islam.

"The MLA has never taken up any role to develop Mainaguri block. He is inactive and has hardly delivered on his responsibility as the elected representative of this seat. As he has failed to meet the aspirations of party workers, supporters and common people, he should not be given a party ticket in the upcoming polls," the block level leader said. "We are apprehensive that if he contests from Mainaguri, the party would face a setback. That is why we came out in the streets today and unequivocally raised our demand."

Sourav Chakraborty, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul president, could not be contacted over phone.