Three Trinamool Congress MPs today shared the dais with rebel party MLA Shikha Mitra, signalling disillusionment within the party with one of them even launching an indirect attack on a section of its leadership.
The three MPs - Kunal Ghosh, Satabdi Roy and Tapas Pal - addressed a gathering at a blood donation camp where senior TMC leader Somen Mitra, Shikha's husband, was present. Shikha had openly criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on several counts.
Speaking at the function, Ghosh alleged that a section of the party leadership was trying to ignore those who had made sacrifices for TMC's growth.
Roy, a Bengali film actress-turned-politician and the TMC Lok Sabha member from Birbhum district, praised Shikha saying she had "the courage to speak the truth".
Ghosh, the TMC Rajya Sabha member whose name cropped up during the Saradha chit fund controversy, without naming anybody, said, "The person who had cornered Pal, the person who is envying Roy all the time, the person who is not giving honour to Somen Mitra, the person who is dishonouring Shikha Mitra, they are all now thinking how to remain close to power and capture TMC".
"They are thinking that those who had joined TMC with no self-interest, let them stay away," he said, adding, "Let Mamata Banerjee remain in good health for long. But we have tried to convince the people... But taking a decision is up to the people themselves."
This was the first instance of an open outburst by Ghosh against a section of TMC leaders.
Ghosh had some months back offered to resign from Rajya Sabha if charges were proved against him in the chit fund scam.
Ghosh, in a six page letter to party chief Banerjee, had earlier said, "I am ready to face and co-operate with any investigation.
He also demanded a CBI inquiry into the Saradha scam, saying those allegedly associated with it should be called for interrogation.
