• Mamta did not support the opposition candidate in the Vice Presidential election
  • Mamta’s stand is now against Congress, opinion of experts differ
  • So is Mamta under pressure? Nephew and daughter-in-law also on target of ED

Investigation of chit fund scam was going on. The Central Investigation Agency (CBI) team goes to Kolkata to interrogate Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Outside Kumar’s house, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee , wearing a woolen shawl , sits on a dharna. After this, the Kolkata Police took some CBI officers into custody. This was an unprecedented event in the history of the country. It was only a hallmark of the extent to which Mamta opposes the central investigative agencies. But his silence about his minister Partha Chatterjee is surprising everyone. While the ED has also called another party MLA Manik Bhattacharya for questioning.

Mamta has said anything on this matter so far, it is only that if Partha Chatterjee is guilty, then she should be imprisoned for life. Looking at Mamta’s old record, hardly anyone would have expected such a statement. But what is the reason for this change? What is the reason for this silence? Mamta did not support the opposition candidate even in the Vice Presidential election. While his tussle with BJP candidate and West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar is well known. So is Mamta on the backfoot? It is even happening that there was definitely some brewing between him and the BJP.

In May 2021, when Firhad Hakim, Madan Mitra, Subrata Mukherjee and Shovan Chatterjee were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Narada bribery case, several TMC workers gheraoed the CBI headquarters and the BJP headquarters at the Nizam Palace in Kolkata. did. Banerjee also stormed the CBI office and staged a sit-in for nearly six hours, demanding the unconditional release or arrest of the four leaders in the case.

Earlier she was sitting on a two-day sit-in at Esplanade in Kolkata when the CBI tried to arrest the then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha chit-fund case in 2019. He had also targeted the BJP-led central government in 2017 when TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay was arrested in the Rose Valley chit fund case.

Didn’t even answer Parth’s phone

When State Industries, Commerce and Enterprise Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested on the night of 23 July, he was told that he made three calls to the TMC supremo. But there was no response to his call. Chatterjee’s arrest memo revealed that the 69-year-old leader chose to call his boss Mamta. Called him for the first time at 2.33 am after his arrest. Then he tried again at 3.37 am and at 9.35 am. but to no avail. Party leader Firhad Hakim, however, denied that Chatterjee had called the TMC chief.

Why is TMC under pressure?

The ED has arrested Mamta’s close aide and state Commerce Minister Partha Chatterjee and her aide Arpita Mukherjee in the education scam. Cash worth Rs 21 crore and jewelery worth lakhs have been recovered from Arpita’s house. When this scam happened in the state, Parth was the education minister.

Many believe that if TMC extends their full support to Partha Chatterjee’s case, they will further anger thousands of SSC candidates who are probably feeling cheated and have been protesting for nearly 500 days.

About this we talked to KD Parth, editor of a big Hindi newspaper of Bengal and an expert in political matters. He says, ‘Even though it is not known to whom the money found at Arpita’s house belongs. But after receiving such a huge amount and Partha Chatterjee’s name in it, TMC is on the backfoot. A day earlier, at the Martyrs’ Day rally, Abhishek Banerjee told party workers that there is no place for corrupt leaders in TMC. 48 hours after that, how could the party stand with a leader whose cash of Rs 20 crore was received from the flat of a close aide. There is also inside news that other TMC leaders are against Chatterjee. That’s why Mamta is also silent.

However, KD Parth also says that the ball is no longer in Mamta’s court. Giving an example, he says, ‘Mamata Banerjee is batting and the bowler is dangerous. He has speed and swing too. On the other hand, the other players who have supported the team are also suffering. In such a situation, Mamta is in a defensive mood to save her wicket and play a long innings. They know there is a good way to save wickets at the moment. Aggressive style can prove to be harmful for them.

Is Mamta also under pressure regarding nephew and daughter-in-law?

There is not just one problem in front of Mamta. His nephew and daughter-in-law are already under the ED’s attention in the money laundering case related to the West Bengal coal mining scam. CBI raided 45 places in West Bengal on 28 November 2021. Vinay Mishra, close to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, was also raided here. After this some witnesses also named his wife Rujira. Both have been called for questioning several times. The names of many of his close friends are also in this scam.

Mamta is already under pressure regarding this matter. Experts believe that there may have been some talks between BJP and TMC. Jivanand Basu, who is doing political journalism, denies this. They say, ‘These things are happening, they are happening. But how much its authenticity is, it also has to be understood. Because the coal scam case is not of today. Despite this, Mamta has an aggressive attitude against the BJP.

Yes, it is true that Mamta is under more pressure this time. There was a revolt in the party over the coal scam. Now due to another scam, Mamta is also afraid that this rebellion may become more vocal in the party. Now the matter is also about the identity of the party. In such a situation, Mamta is no longer in the mood to take any risk. They say further.

But if there is any talk between TMC and BJP on any issue, then what will be the advantage of BJP in this? On this, KD Parth says that Mamta was with BJP in a way regarding the Vice Presidential election. That too when he never got along with his candidate. The inside thing is that Mamta was also Darjeeling before the meeting supporting the Vice President. There the CM of Assam meets him. However, this meeting was secret.

Only then came the news that Mamta would not give her support to the opposition candidate Margaret Alva. It also has to be understood that Mamta’s relation with Congress in these days also did not look good. In such a situation, Mamta is also trying to make another option against BJP. On the other hand, BJP’s eyes are somewhere on the next Lok Sabha elections. He probably realizes that changing his stance against Mamta could benefit him further.

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