Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Satabdi Roy was on Sunday named vice-president of the party.
It’s a significant development, given that the former actress had hinted at defecting to BJP a few days ago. She changed her mind after a brief meeting with fellow-MP Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday night.
Welcoming the decision of senior leaders, three-time MP from Birbhum told Odisha Bytes that she will continue as a dedicated Trinamool Congress worker and ensure the downfall of BJP in the upcoming assembly polls.
“I didn’t know which was the right quarter to get your problems addressed, now I know. I welcome the decision and this incident proves that if you approach the right leaders, your problems will be cleared,” said Satabdi.
She praised Abhishek, who has been attacked by the BJP as ‘tolabaj’ (extortionist), saying that the Diamond Harbour MP is working extremely hard. She also urged all TMC leaders to stay as a ‘big united family’ to defeat the BJP in the polls.
In another significant move, former TMC mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation Jitendra Tiwari was removed from the East Bardhaman district president’s post.
Tiwari, who had voiced discontent over the running of the civic board and also met recently BJP-joined Suvendu Adhikari, said that he will remain with the Trinamool Congress.
“Posts don’t matter to me. I am with our party supremo Mamata Banerjee. The youngsters are given a chance in the party, it’s a good sign,” said Tiwari.
TMC leaders like Vaishali Dalmiya, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Rajiv Banerjee, who have shown dissent recently, were absent at the TMC’s mammoth rally in Howrah. West Bengal minister Arup Roy and senior party leader and MP Prasun Banerjee led the rally.
Rubbishing West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh’s claim that TMC has been completely wiped off from Howrah district, Arup Roy said that the big crowd at the rally proves that Mamata Banerjee will form the government for the third time.
