Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee held a meeting of her party's core committee.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of using the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI to pressurise a Trinamool Congress lawmaker, Mukul Roy, to split the party or go to jail over the Saradha scam, said sources.
At a meeting of the Trinamool Congress' Core Committee in Kolkata today, Ms Banerjee reacted to speculation about turbulence in the party and rebellion in some quarters by blaming it on the BJP which, she said, was using the CBI to try and split the party.
"The BJP is using the CBI to put Mukul Roy under pressure. It is pressurising him to split the party and cooperate with the CBI or go to jail," Ms Banerjee was quoted as saying by several leaders present at the meeting.
Some also quoted her as saying, "I don't know what the CBI asked Mukul, but from his face, I can see that he is under pressure."
Mr Roy, the Trinamool's all-India general secretary and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, was questioned by the CBI for nearly five hours over the scam yesterday.
After the questioning, Mr Roy had told media personnel, "I am cooperating with the CBI and, naturally, I want the truth to come out."
At the meeting today, the Trinamool chief also mentioned lawmaker from Tamluk, Shubhendu Adhikari, who is reportedly unhappy with the party. The CBI had questioned Mr Adhikari over the Saradha scam in September 2014.
Ms Banerjee was quoted as saying, "The BJP is telling Shubhendu you either join us or go to jail. Don't be afraid of going to jail Shubhendu. The party is with you."
Ms Banerjee even said, "The rate at which people are being sent to jail, I am also prepared to go to jail any time," according to sources.
The party also decided to send a team of lawmakers, led by Derek O'Brien, to the Rajya Sabha chairperson to complain about how party lawmakers were being harassed, allegedly by the BJP, because the ruling party did not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha.