Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member and former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi announced his resignation in Parliament on Friday, adding to a series of high-profile exits from Mamata Banerjee’s party ahead of the West Bengal elections due by May. He said the Trinamool was being run by “somebody who doesn’t know politics” and no one had time to speak to him.
Without taking names, Trivedi launched a scathing attack on poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who was brought in by Mamata Banerjee to plan her election campaign two years ago. “When the party goes into hands of a corporate professional, he is running the party, no one has time to listen. Somebody doesn’t now the ABC of politics, he is becoming my neta (leader). So, what can people do in such a situation? The daily fights, the daily abuse of each other—you can’t run a country like this,” Trivedi told reporters.
Speaking to ANI, Trivedi said, “It was my inner voice. I couldn’t have been sitting in Parliament as a mute spectator over what is going on, especially in Bengal. There was no forum where I could’ve raised voice; I would have done injustice to Bengal. Ultimately it is people who matter.”
Trivedi further said, “I am not alone if you ask the people in the party they feel the same. We had joined the party looking at Mamata Banerjee, but now it’s no longer her party.”
Trivedi on Friday announced his resignation on the floor of the House (Rajya Sabha) citing the reason that he was unable to do anything over the violence in West Bengal. “I am resigning from Rajya Sabha today. There is violence happening in my state. We cannot speak anything here,” Trivedi said.
“Grateful to my party that they have sent me here. I’m feeling suffocated that we are not able to do anything over violence in the state. My soul tells me that if you cannot do anything sitting here, then you must resign. I will continue to work for the people of West Bengal,” he added.
“This is unfortunate. I am saddened. It is not good that he has resigned. I knew he was dissatisfied but I did not know he would quit,” said senior TMC leader Saugata Roy.
Soon after the news became public, senior BJP leader and party’s Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya told reporters: “Dinesh Trivedi is more than welcome to join BJP. He has taken a year to quit the Trinamool.”
At the media event in Kolkata, BJP MP Babul Supriyo too threw his party’s door open for Trivedi. “Welcome to BJP dada… Good to have you on board,” Supriyo said.
Earlier several TMC leaders including Suvendu Adhikari left the TMC to join the Bharatiya Janata Party in January. The West Bengal Assembly Elections for 294 seats are scheduled to take place this year. However, the dates of the polls have not yet been announced by the Election Commission.