TMC leaders seek mid-term poll as Saradha noose tightens

Mamata Banerjee is yet to give her view on the proposal to conduct mid-term poll to dilute the damage of Saradha scam investigation

A section of the Trinamool Congress top leadership have proposed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to dismiss the assembly and go for mid-term poll. This follows the fear that the CBI investigation into the Saradha scam has already put several top leaders under scrutiny and may impact the party once their involvement is established. This nervousness has already resulted in a exodus of party leaders and workers from the party. 

Manjul Krishna Thakur, a state minister of Mamata Banerjee cabinet earlier in the week quit TMC to join the BJP and the fear that many more TMC leaders could do so, has further strengthened these voices favoring a  mid-term poll in TMC.

"In the wake of this Saradha scam it is impossible to stay in this party, people are mocking us," said Thakur, who held the refugee, relief and rehabilitation portfolio in Mamata Banerjee's cabinet, joined the BJP along with his son, Subrata Thakur.

A senior TMC MP who has also served as Union minister in the past, had mooted the proposal of early polls at a party meeting recently in the presence of party supremo, Mamata Banerjee. The MP argued that as the Saradha scam has damaged the party, there is growing public perception about party leader's links with the tainted company.

The senior TMC MP, said at the meeting that it would be a politically wise decision to get re-elected. The re-election can be used by the party as people's stamp on TMC line of "CBI being used as political tool by BJP". The MP was also supported by one of the senior state ministers as well.

Mamata Banerjee, however, did not say anything,  leaving her opinion on the matter to speculation.

With the CBI summoning  Mukul Roy, this view of going for mid-term poll is gathering steam. "If Mukul Roy is arrested, it would be wise to go to poll, before the CBI investigation further damages the party," said a senior party leader.

Also, Mukul Roy is in charge of the party's organisational matters for a long time and has been the architect of TMC's election management since 2011 assembly elections. "Since Mamata Banerjee became chief minister, Mukulda has been in charge of candidate selection to campaigning. His long absence could be setback for the party," said the leader.

Apart from this, there has been a conspiracy theory as well. Mukul Roy has been in New Delhi most of the time these days and the rumour is that he has been in contact with the BJP leadership and may well switch loyalties to save himself. This rumor has been fuelled by West Bengal's state BJP President Rahul sinha's statement that Roy tried to contact him recently.

Before, Manjul Krishna Thakur, former TMC MP Sucharu Ranjan Halder had quit the party to join BJP apart from many grass-root TMC workers across districts like Nadia, North 24 Paraganas, Jalpaigudi, Cooch Behar.

Mamata Banerjee too is aware of this as she had publicly said, "I know BJP is approaching Subhendu to join their party or else he would be arrested." Subhendu Adhikari, party's Lok Sabha MP, is apparently not happy with the party leadership ever since he lost the post of Youth TMC president to chief minister's nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

Mamata Banejee's cabinet members like panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee and Consumer Affairs Minister Sadhan Pandey have also openly spoken against party-line recently.

"Today it is Manjul Krishna Thakur, tomorrow it can be another minister. How further we can allow this Saradhha scam to damge the party before going to poll?," asked a senior TMC leader.