Kolkata, Dec 24 The Trinamool Congress leadership had decided not to approach the office of the West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee for cancellation of suspended party legislator Humayun Kabir's membership from the House despite the latter announcing his new political outfit christened the Janata Unnayan Party two days ago.
A senior member of the West Bengal Cabinet said that there are two main reasons for not taking any initiative for the suspension of Kabir's membership from the House.
"First of all, a little over six months are left for completion of the Assembly elections of the state next year, which will be followed by the formation of the new state Cabinet. So even if his membership is cancelled from the house for the interim period, there will not be any by-election for Bharatpur, where Kabir is the legislator, for this interim period. So our (Trinamool Congress) leadership had decided to let Kabir continue with his chair during this interim period," the state Cabinet member added.
Secondly, he said, initiating the cancellation of Kabir's membership will send a message to common people that Trinamool Congress is taking him seriously.
"That is exactly what our leadership does not want. So, what we have decided is to totally ignore him (Humayun Kabir) at this point. We have also been advised by our (Trinamool Congress) leadership to refrain from making any comments about Kabir or reacting to whatever he says, badmouthing our party," the state Cabinet member added.
Initially, Humayun Kabir said that he would be resigning as a legislator from Bharatpur immediately before announcing his new party on December 22.
However, later Kabir changed his decision and said that he will continue as an independent legislator from Bharatpur for the interim period before the state Assembly polls next year.
He had already said that he would contest as the Janata Unnayan Party candidate from two Assembly constituencies in his native Murshidabad district.
He also added that he is open to an alliance with all "anti-BJP" and "anti-Trinamool Congress" forces in the state.
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