Mamata held hostage in her party

KOLKATA: The eagerness of the Trinamul Congress to return to the Centre has claimed its first casualty and it is none other than party chief Mamata Banerjee herself. So harassed was she, that she even offered to quit electoral politics, claimed insiders.
With the Trinamul prospect of securing a berth in the Union ministry becoming brighter, the parliamentary party is witnessing one of its worst back-room politics.While there is no ambiguity regarding Mamata, it is the second ministerial berth that has put her in a spot.
In fact, the recent move by the party to have the anti-defection Act invoked against rebel MP Ajit Panja is an indication of the inner squabbles. The move to punish him had been orchestrated by Trinamul parliamentary party chief whip Sudip Bandyopadhyay to bolster his chances of becoming a minister, said some leaders.
Panja, despite being suspended from the party, remains a front-runner as the Trinamul’s second choice. If his chances are scuppered after being implicated under the anti-defection law, there will be one less contender. Moreover, he is a favourite of the BJP for his unflinching support for the PM.
Some Trinamul leaders felt that there should be a rapprochement between Mamata and Panja. “It has become difficult because the difference between the two has taken the shape of an ego clash,� pointed out Trinamul MLA Jyoti Priya Mallick.
According to him, if Panja had been rehabilitated, Mamata would have been saved from the constant pressures she is being subjected to by the other MPs. Others like Akbar Ali Khondekar, Bikram Sarkar, Nitish Sengupta, Ananda Mohan Biswas and Ranjit Panja are all eager to become ministers. Some have even opened a direct line with the BJP, added insiders.
Also, in an effort to assuage ruffled feathers, Trinamul leader Pankaj Banerjee has invited North 24-Parganas stalwart Bhupen Seth and Idris Ali to resolve matters. Both had expressed their desire to quit the party.
Trinamul Congress flays Sikdar for opposing tie-up: Trinamul Congress on Monday criticised BJP leader and Union minister Tapan Sikdar for his statement that his party would not enter into any tie up with the Trinamul for the next panchayat poll in the state and dubbed it as his ‘personal view’.
Commenting on Sikdar''s statement at Malda on Sunday, Trinamul Congress General Secretary Partha Chatterjee said the BJP central and state leadership did not make any such comment opposing tie up between the two NDA partners for the next year’s rural poll. “It may be Sikdar’s personal view,� the Trinamul leader said.
The BJP leader’s comment came close on the heels of the party central leadership forcing its state unit not to field candidate for the Onda Assembly by-poll slated for May 31. State BJP led by Ashim Ghose, a close confidente of Sikdar, wanted to put up its own nominee and had recommended the name of Gunamoy Chatterjee for the seat which fell vacant following the death of Anil Mukherjee of Forward Bloc.
The state unit, however, backed out following the directive from the party high command but made its support to Trinamul candidate conditional.
“We will extend full cooperation to Trinamul candidate in Onda by-election, if they supported us in election to some civic bodies going to polls on May 26,� state BJP vice-president Muzaffar Khan said.