It's good that rotten elements are leaving: Mamata to TMC leaders

Amid the ongoing spree of desertions, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday night termed the deserters as "baggage" for the party and said it is good that rotten elements are leaving on their own.

Banerjee held an internal meeting with a select group of leaders at her residence to take stock of the situation.

According to party sources, Banerjee told TMC leaders not to be "worried about the desertions" as the people of the state are with them.

"Our party supremo during the meeting told us not to be worried about the desertions as it is good that the rotten elements are leaving the party on their own. She said deserters were baggage for the party," a senior TMC leader said on condition of anonymity after the closed-door meet.

The meeting, which began at 7 pm, continued till 9.30 pm.

In a jolt to the TMC ahead of the assembly elections, heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari quit the party on Thursday after resigning as an MLA.

Hailing Adhikari, Pandabeswar MLA and Asansol civic body chief Jitendra Tiwari also quit the party, amid speculations that they may switch over to the BJP.

Barrackpore MLA Silbhadra Dutta and Uttar Kanthi MLA Banasri Maity had also quit the party on Friday.

West Bengal's ruling TMC was rocked by a fresh bout of desertions on Friday with at least 10 leaders exiting, deepening the crisis in the party hours before the arrival of the senior BJP leader and Union Home Amit Shah on a two-day visit.

There is intense speculation that Adhikari, along with several other TMC leaders, is likely to switch over to the BJP camp during Shah's mega rally at Midnapore on Saturday.

The brewing discontentment in the party may adversely impact the TMC's prospects in the assembly polls due in April-May next year.