Mamata MLA’s latest salvo: Trinamool leaders extorting money

Stays firm Will reveal his future plan to his supporters at home.

Trinamool Congress MLA from Singur, Rabindranath Bhattacharya, who resigned from Mamata Banerjee's cabinet after he was shifted from agriculture department, on Tuesday said that he has taken a final decision about his future course of action, which he would reveal it to his party workers in Singur.

Making it amply clear that the relations between him and his party have soured, the teacher-turned-politician, who played a very crucial role during Mamata Banerjee's anti-land acquisition movement in Singur, said a section of Trinamool leaders were extorting money from different segments and the party's top leadership knows about it.

"I have taken the final decision which will not be changed under any circumstances. But I will only announce it before my workers in Singur to whom I am answerable," Bhattacharya told The Indian Express. If Bhattacharya's close aides are to be believed, he in all likelihood will step down from the Trinamool Congress and give up all political activities.

Remaining firm on his decision, Bhattacharya said he had given some proposals to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after he was told that Becharam Manna will join agriculture department as a junior minister. "I was told that I would be communicated by the chief minister about my proposals in a couple of days. But till today, I have not received any communication," he said.

The 79-year old school teacher said the only communication he got from the chief minister was a caution asking him not to say anything in the media that can harm the image of the party and the government.

"To the government and to the chief minister, it is immaterial if I stay in the cabinet or I stay in the party at all. I have become almost non-existent for them and they have decided to ignore me. I am fine with this," an upset Bhattacharya added.

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