Denied Tickets, 74 TMC MLAs Turn Rebels

Kolkata:A revolt has hit West Bengal’s ruling Trinamul Congress, with many of the 74 MLAs who were denied tickets by the party for next month’s Assembly elections turning rebels. One of them, Tapan Chatterjee, outgoing MLA of Purbasthali Uttar in Burdwan East, accused the party’s political consulting firm, I-PAC, of demanding ₹20 lakhs to give him another chance.

He alleged: “I-PAC asked for ₹20 lakh from me. Those who paid the amount got tickets. If I had paid, I would have got the ticket. What's the fear in speaking against my party? Even my security has been withdrawn. I don't know why my party is so angry with me despite staying with the people.”

Another TMC leader, Arabul Islam, joined the Indian Secular Front, a new minority-oriented outfit in the opposition with one MLA. Known to be the strongman of Bhangar in South 24 Parganas, he was a Trinamul MLA from 2006 to 2011.

Among others who took a swipe at TMC publicly were Manoranjan Byapari of Balagarh, Rabindranath Ghosh of Natabari, Asit Majumdar of Chinsurah, Abdur Rahim Kazi of Baduria.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari started his poll campaign at Bhowanipore where he is contesting against chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Vowing to take his door to door campaign next to the residence of TMC supremo in Kalighat, the BJP candidate predicted his victory against her this time by a margin of 25,000 votes. He also visited Bhowanipore police station to inquire the number of cases against him there for the purposes of filing his election nomination papers.