tmc-expels-two-mlas-after-61-legislators-skip-party-meeting

The All India Trinamool Congress on Monday expelled two of its MLAs for alleged anti-party activities, a day after 61 of its 80 legislators failed to attend a legislative party meeting, deepening signs of turmoil within the opposition party in West Bengal.

 

The expelled legislators, Sandeep Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee, were removed from the party's primary membership with immediate effect.

 

In a communication signed by party vice-president Chandrima Bhattacharya, the Trinamool Congress accused the two MLAs of repeatedly failing to attend meetings convened by the party leadership and engaging in activities detrimental to its interests.

 

“It has been brought to the notice of the All India Trinamool Congress through its competent authority that, despite having been elected as candidates nominated by the AITC, you have repeatedly failed to attend meetings convened by the authorised leadership of the party and have involved yourselves in anti-party activities,” the letter stated.

 

The party further alleged that the two legislators had made statements and engaged in actions prejudicial to the organisation's interests. Following a review of the matter, the party's competent authority decided to expel them.

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The move came a day after the Trinamool Congress was forced to cancel a legislative party meeting in Kolkata due to poor attendance. Only 19 of the party's 80 MLAs turned up, while 61 legislators remained absent.

 

The meeting had been called to discuss the Criminal Investigation Department probe into the alleged forgery of MLAs' signatures on a letter nominating Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.

 

The expulsions also followed remarks by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who claimed at a press conference that Saha and Banerjee had lodged complaints in connection with the alleged fake-signature controversy.

 

Defending the cancellation of Sunday's meeting, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said many legislators were engaged in protests against the alleged heckling of party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee during a visit on Saturday.

 

However, the large-scale absence of legislators has fuelled speculation about internal discontent within the party following its electoral setback in the recent Assembly elections.