A Lok Sabha Problem Awaits Mamata Banerjee? Humanyun Kabir's Big Claim

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, already struggling to cope with the rift in the party over an assembly post, could be in for more bad news, indicated expelled leader Humayun Kabir. Kabir, who now heads his own party Aam Janata Unnayan Party or AJUP, told NDTV today that the MPs of Trinamool are contemplating a move to remove her nephew Abhishek Banerjee as the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha. Over this issue, the party will split again, he added. 
Twenty MPs of the Trinamool, Kabir said, have already spoken to the Speaker regarding Abhishek Banerjee's removal. 

The Trinamool has 29 MPs in the Lok Sabha. "Twenty of the 29 MPs will split from the party in the Lok Sabha," he said.

Asked if the MPs have held any meeting regarding this, Kabir said it is an ongoing process. 

Read: Plague On Both Your Houses: Bengal Minister On Divided Trinamool

"The MP from Barasat, Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, and all the other MPs who are in the discussion, are talking about this. Please wait for some more time," he added. "When the time comes, they will pressurise the Lok Sabha's Honourable Speaker to remove him. This is my information," he said.

The Trinamool already has been split down the middle over the issue of leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. 57 of the party's 80 MLAs are supporting expelled rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee instead of the party chief's choice -- Shobhandeb Chatterjee. 

Now the Assembly speaker has accepted Ritabrata Banerjee for the post and even handed him the keys to the party's room in the state assembly. 

Photo Credit: IANS

Mamata Banerjee has been fire-fighting over the issue. 

Many of these MLAs are angry over her backing to her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Kabir said he has also faced something similar.  

"From the time the panchayat was elected in 2023, Abhishek Banerjee, who was the party's general secretary, took money from the three-star members of the panchayat," Kabir claimed.  The money was channelled into IPAC, which also took money to provide tickets, he claimed. 

Read: Trinamool Rebels Play In Midfield As They Seek Mamata Banerjee's Advice

"At that time, I brought Mamata Banerjee to my attention. I raised many issues against her. But she didn't listen to me... No one supported me..  Whatever Abhishek did for the party, she approved it. Today, many people are speaking against Mamata Banerjee," he said.