Kolkata, May 30 Gauging that return of the prodigal leaders who deserted the party to join the BJP is not being favourably taken by a section of the party veterans, Trinamool Congress's General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said that the doors of the party are closed to them for the time being.
Incidentally, he made this announcement at a public rally at Shyamnagar under Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district, whose erstwhile BJP Lok Sabha member, Arjun Singh has recently rejoined the Trinamool on May 22, and was welcomed in the party by Abhishek Banerjee himself. Arjun Singh's return was followed by loaded statements from a section of senior leadership in Trinamool Congress.
Banerjee created some dramatic moments while interacting with those present at the rally on this issue. "Many of the 'gaddars' and 'Mir Jafars' are lining up at our doors with the plea to make a re-entry. I am asking you whether I would open the door or keep it closed," he asked those present on the occasion.
When the party supporters asked in chorus to keep the doors closed, he said that to honour the sentiments of the party workers, he too had decided to close the doors to entrance-seekers.
"Any way, if I open the doors, then the other party from where there are so many entrance seekers will be totally finished," he said.
While addressing a rally at the industrial township of Haldia in East Midnapopre district on Saturday, Banerjee made a somewhat similar statement where he said that new entrants from other parties will not be favoured from the beginning.
"Those who have joined Trinamool recently after measuring waters for a long time will be given election nominations immediately. Whatever happened in the past will not be repeated. I can guarantee that," he said.
Senior state BJP leader and former state party president in West Bengal, Rahul Sinha said that Banerjee's claims on "closing the doors" is nothing but a stunt as he was unable to ensure the joining of a single leader at the Shyamnagar rally.
"Before this rally, tall claims were made on so many leaders joining the party. But not a single leader joined. So the Trinamool's national General Secretary had to come up with the face-saving stunt," he said.
At the rally, Banerjee launched a scathing attack against the Union government on the issue of "misuse" of central agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the state government and the Trinamool.
"Our senior MLA, Madan Mitra was put behind the bars for three years, after a photo emerged where Mitra was seen sharing a stage with chit-fund entity, Saradha Group's Chairman, Sudipto Sen. The why Prime Minister, Narendra Modi should not receive the same treatment, as many of the photos emerged where he was seen together with Nirav Modi, who had escaped from the country after fudging so many crores of rupees," he said.
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