'Don't call yourselves TMC': Moitra slams 'useless' rebel MLAs
What's the story
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has slammed the rebel MLAs who recently took over the party's legislature wing. She called them "completely useless" leaders who thrived on Mamata Banerjee's "charisma" but lacked the courage to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The TMC is facing its biggest internal crisis in nearly three decades after 58 rebel MLAs seized control of its legislature wing and elected expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee as their leader of opposition, which the Speaker has recognized.
BJP's role
BJP accused of coercing MLAs to switch sides
Speaking to India Today, Moitra accused the BJP of engineering the split in TMC through coercion and intimidation. She alleged that rebel legislators were coerced into changing sides with threats of arrests, including their families, and action by central agencies. The MP said that the dissidents, led by expelled MLA Ritabrata, were not willing to stay in opposition after being in power for so long and preferred a "safe" path.
Criticism
MP slams MLAs for abandoning TMC
Moitra slammed the rebel MLAs for abandoning the TMC and asked them to stop calling themselves part of the party. She said, "We have had these people who are completely useless... Please go on your own today. Be part of your Ritabrata Congress. Do whatever you have to do." "But don't call yourself the Trinamool Congress." The MP also claimed that current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari knew "every Achilles's heel" of each MLA and targeted them individually in this operation.
MP
CM knows Achilles' heel of each MLA: Moitra
"He knows exactly what each Achilles' heel of each MLA is. He has done this operation one-to-one on each MLA." "So one MLA, for example, Sabina Yasmin in Motabari, has been told, 'The NIA will get you for the Motabari violence.' Two other people, Javed Khan, for example, have been told, 'You will be arrested. Your son will be arrested for the illegal construction in your area.' So each of these people have got some pressure point," Moitra alleged.
Future
'They can take symbol, we don't care'
Moitra also dismissed concerns that the rebel faction's recognition by the Election Commission could spell political doom for the TMC. She said, "Mamata Banerjee, when she left Congress, picked up a pen and paper, drew this symbol and got it. A person who can draw her own symbol and fight and become a three-term chief minister will fight and create another symbol." "We don't care. They can take any picture...any symbol. They will never be the Trinamool Congress," she added.