Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday ended ties with her younger brother Babun Banerjee after he expressed displeasure over the party re-nominating ex-footballer and two-time Lok Sabha MP, Prasun Banerjee from Howrah Lok Sabha seat.
"I do not consider him (Babun) a member of this family. From today onwards, no one will introduce him as my brother. Prasun Banerjee is an Arjuna Award winner and he is the candidate nominated by our party and will remain so," Mamata said.
She also alleged that the BJP is behind this menace. "They (BJP) should concentrate on politics and keep my family away from all this," she added. Earlier in the day, Babun Banerjee although denying speculations about joining the BJP, had said that he was considering 'contesting the upcoming elections as an independent candidate from Howrah.'
"Prasun Bandopadhyay is not the right choice as there are many other deserving candidates who were ignored while the Trinamool Congress candidate list was finalised. It is true that Didi would not agree, but I cannot forget the insults and barbs that Prasun had hurled at me during the annual general meeting of the Mohun Bagan club," Babun said.
He also said that he is connected to sports and knows many BJP leaders, who too are connected with sports. Trinamool's troubles with the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat has also not been resolved, with party leader and sitting MP Arjun Singh yet again making it clear on March 13 that he wishes to contest from Barrackpore.
Talking to Etv Bharat, Singh said, "Contesting as an independent candidate means travelling in a train without ticket. I refuse to travel without a ticket. As I have said, I will contest from Barrackpore and that too, against Partha Bhowmick, whom the party has chosen over me."
Reacting to this, the CM said that Partha Bhowmick was the state's irrigation minister and an imminent personality. She said, "I do not practice dynasty politics and therefore have nominated candidates as per their qualification and credentials."
Trouble had started to brew within the party after names of candidates from all 42 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal were declared. Actor-turned-politician Sayantika Banerjee, who aspired for a ticket from the Bankura seat, sitting MP Sunil Mondal from Bardhaman-East who was denied a ticket this time, and Arjun Singh had made their displeasure public.
Sayantika Banerjee resigned from all party posts on March 11 citing ‘personal reasons’. Arup Chakraborty, MLA, Taldangra has been fielded for the Bankura seat by the Trinamool Congress.
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