Former Trinamool MLA from Rajarhat Tanmoy Mondol, who was expelled from the party three days ago, today said a section of his former party’s leaders were involved in the Vedic Village land scam and had links with alleged kingpin Gaffar Mollah.

Mondol, who was expelled along with Trinamool councillor Sukhen Chakraborty and Shankar Narayan Dutta, a former leader of the Opposition in Rajarhat municipality, said he was made a scapegoat. “I do not want to take names. There are district-level leaders in our party who were involved in the Vedic Village issue along with local leaders. Like CPM leaders, they too were linked to Gaffar Mollah. Let Mollah’s statement be published. It will all be clear,” Mondol said.

“I heard Gaffar named Khude and Arabul Islam (Trinamool MLA from Bhangor) as the ones who helped him with arms and ammunition. Do you need more from me to understand who the real culprits are?” asked Mondol.

The former Trinamool leader said he became an MLA from Rajarhat in 2001 by when land deals for both New Town and Rajarhat had been struck.

Mondol also claimed that he initiated the Jami Bacahao agitation during his tenure, but got little response from farmers. “I held 15 rallies in Rajarhat against land acquisition and land grab. But the farmers chose to sell their land,” he added. “I was not even given a show-cause nor allowed to defend myself. The announcement of my expulsion was made in the rally where agitation on Vedic Village was on. I did not expect this from our leader Mamata Banerjee,” Mondol said, adding that the Trinamool chief did not tell him anything when he visited her Kalighat residence last week.

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