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Nearly three-fourths of TMC MLAs skipped a legislative party meeting chaired by Mamata Banerjee. The party later said it was amid attacks on Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee.
A file photo of Mamata Banerjee (PTI)
A scheduled meeting of newly-elected Trinamool Congress legislators, which was to be chaired by party supremo and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was called off on Sunday after nearly three-fourths of the party’s 80 MLAs failed to attend.
The development comes amid escalating political tensions in West Bengal following the alleged attack on Trinamool Congress national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur and a separate alleged assault on party MP Kalyan Banerjee in Hooghly district.
The meeting had been scheduled to take place at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence in Kolkata at 3 pm.
However, only around 20 MLAs reportedly reached the venue, prompting the party leadership to postpone the gathering for the time being.
Addressing reporters outside the residence, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the absence of legislators was linked to the “sudden and emergent ground situation” following attacks on party leaders and workers.
“The meeting was pre-scheduled. However, in the aftermath of the attacks on our leaders, our MLAs are organising protest programmes at the ground level, following which severe police action has been unleashed on our workers,” Ghosh said.
He further said that legislators who could not attend had informed the party leadership that they were occupied with handling protests and assisting party workers who had allegedly been detained.
“The absentee MLAs, who are stuck with managing the ground situation, assisting our workers who have been arrested, had informed the legislative party of the developments and requested if the meeting could be temporarily postponed,” Ghosh told reporters.
According to news agency PTI, the Trinamool legislative party accepted what Ghosh described as a “legitimate request” and decided to defer the meeting.
He also said that the party would later communicate a fresh date for the gathering.
“We will hold this meeting at a later date, the details of which will be duly communicated to our MLAs. All our legislators have communicated that they are firmly standing with the party during these difficult times,” Ghosh said.
Party sources cited by PTI said Mamata Banerjee still held informal discussions with the MLAs who managed to attend the scheduled meeting.
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of protests across the state over the alleged attack on Abhishek Banerjee on May 30.
TMC workers staged demonstrations on Sunday, accusing BJP workers of targeting the party leadership and supporters.
Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly attacked with bricks, stones and eggs while visiting families affected by post-poll violence in Sonarpur, South 24 Parganas.
The party claimed he sustained an injury near his eye.
Speaking to ANI during the protests, a TMC worker alleged, “There is an imbalance in Bengal. Abhishek Banerjee was attacked badly. The homes of TMC leaders are also being looted.”
The BJP, however, rejected the allegations and claimed residents were expressing anger against the Trinamool leadership.
The political confrontation intensified further after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged on Sunday that he too had been attacked near Chanditala Police Station in Hooghly district while going to submit a deputation over post-poll violence.
He termed the incident an “attempt to murder” and accused BJP workers of assaulting him outside the police station.
TMC leader Madan Mitra also accused the BJP of orchestrating the attacks.
“A protest should be done across the country on this thing. This is the BJP’s plan because they don’t want any opposition against them,” he told ANI.
As tensions mounted, Kunal Ghosh announced a series of protest programmes by the Trinamool Congress over the next 48 hours.
According to PTI, the party has directed its leaders to organise protest rallies at block levels in rural areas and municipal wards in urban centres on Monday.
He also announced that Mamata Banerjee would lead a day-long symbolic sit-in protest at Rani Rashmoni Road in central Kolkata on Tuesday against alleged post-poll violence and hawker evictions being carried out with bulldozers.
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