TMC’s Mamatabala invites BJP's five Matua MLAs to join her party

If the legislators quit the saffron party, it would certainly help re-consolidate the community's vote bank, deeply divided between the two rival factions of the family

Representational image.: File photo

Subhasish Chaudhuri   |  TT  |  Calcutta   |   27.12.21 : Mamatabala Thakur, who heads a faction of Matuas, on Sunday invited five BJP MLAs deemed close to a rival camp of the community to join the Trinamul Congress, a day after they had all exited an official WhatsApp group of the party.

Mamatabala said Bongaon BJP MP Santanu Thakur and his brother and Gaighata MLA Subrata Thakur were welcome to Trinamul, along with four other BJP MLAs from the Matua community.

Santanu, who heads the other Matua faction, and Subrata are nephews of the deceased husband of Mamatabala, former Bongaon MP. 

“They are all most welcome.… It is always good to work together, being the members of the same family,” said Mamatabala, adding that the decision on such inductions were taken by the Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee and the party’s Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee.

If the five MLAs leave the BJP and join Trinamul, it would certainly help re-consolidate the Matua vote bank, deeply divided since 2019 between the two rival factions of the family, one with Trinamul and the other with the BJP.

The shuffle in the BJP’s organisational districts in the wake of the party getting trounced in election after election this year has triggered resentment among those denied portfolios, including the five Matua MLAs. One of them, Kalyani MLA Ambika Roy, has already put out feelers to the BJP leadership that he wants to be back in the WhatsApp group, said sources in the party.

“It is good if they realise that the BJP has done nothing for the Matuas. The entire section of the Matuas, which supported the BJP, has realised that they committed a big mistake by supporting them. It is only Mamata Banerjee who is concerned about the development of the community,” said Mamatabala, who heads the Sarbabharatiya Matua Mahasangha.

“I have no objection if Mamata Banerjee decides to induct them into Trinamul. But, first of all, they should quit the BJP,” she added.

The BJP’s Gaighata MLA, however, refused to entertain the invite from his aunt.

“It would be better if she does not concern herself with us. If there is anything for us to say, we will do so on the right platform,” said Subrata.

State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said: “We are a big family. There is misunderstanding in every family.”

“The Matuas are never ignored. Take the example of Ranaghat South MLA Mukutmani Adhikari, who has been given responsibility at national level,” he added. “There are posts vacant on the state committee…. We are attached to the Matuas from the core of our hearts.”

Additional reporting by Arkamoy Datta Majumdar