WB Minister, BJP MLA In Spat Over Extortion, Syndicate
Dr Mukherjee asked him in surprise, “Why are you here? You are not the MLA of this area! Why did you come here?” Introducing himself as a longtime local resident, Mr Kanodia leveled a series of allegations aloud.
Kolkata: Faction feud within the West Bengal BJP surfaced on Tuesday evening when two MLAs including a cabinet minister had a spat in front of public in the city over rampant extortion and syndicate raj by their party workers after coming to power in the state.
One of the two warring leaders was state health minister and Bidhannagar MLA Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee. Another was New Town legislator Piyush Kanoria. Both were elected for the first time in the Assembly Election four months ago. Their constituencies are also next to each other.
Their confrontation unfolded at around 8 pm at ward no 28 in Dum Dum Park under South Dum Dum Municipality. Dr Mukherjee was listening to the complaints of the residents of his constituency as local MLA. Suddenly, Mr Kanodia stormed the meeting with his followers.
Dr Mukherjee asked him in surprise, “Why are you here? You are not the MLA of this area! Why did you come here?” Introducing himself as a longtime local resident, Mr Kanodia leveled a series of allegations aloud.
These included an attack by BJP workers at the residence of South Dum Dum Municipality vice chairman Nitai Dutta who is a close aide of former Trinamul Congress minister Sujit Bose, now behind bars in the municipal jobs scam. Dr Mukherjee then urged Mr Kanodia to come to the dias and sit with him.
Mr Kanodia however refused and said, “Those from Lal Kuthi area are allowed in our party politically. We earlier opposed their entry. A man called Bhikhari who had threatened us at gun point was also welcomed. Another individual got a contract of installing 18 lights at a place. Promoters get extortion calls here. You have to explain these.”
Dr Mukherjee said, “There are anonymous complaints of extortion and syndicates. I can't say all of them are false. That means we couldn't ensure ‘Bhoy Out, Bharosa In’. We need to do it.”