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Tag: Sunil Mondal

  • Turncoat MP Sunil Mondal says he is still with TMC; party says he is on probation

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: In an embarrassment for the West Bengal BJP, Trinamool Congress MP Sunil Mondal, who had switched over to the saffron camp last December, on Monday said he is still a member of the TMC and will continue to remain a party member.

    The TMC, which has made representations with Speaker Om Birla to disqualify him under the anti-defection law, said that Mondal is “on probation” before his re-induction into the party and was asked to prove his political convictions by taking part in anti-BJP programmes.

    The BJP claimed that the prospects of the party will not be affected if some “seasonal birds” leave it.

    “There was some misunderstanding with the party. But I never officially joined the BJP. It was a mistake on my part, and some misunderstandings did take place. But neither had I officially resigned from the TMC, nor did the party expel me. I am still a member of the TMC and will continue to be one till the last day,” Mondal told PTI over the phone.

    When pointed out that he, along with senior TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari had joined the BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 19 last year in Medinipur, Mondal said he was present on the dais, but he never took the flag.

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    “I went there with Suvendu Adhikari, but you cannot show any picture where I am seen standing with a BJP flag,” he said.

    Asked how he would justify his statements against the TMC during the assembly polls campaign, Mondal said it was a misunderstanding and was unwilling to talk about the past.

    When asked whether his change of political posturing is prompted by the fact that the party has moved for disqualification of his Lok Sabha membership under the anti-defection law, he said, “I never left the party”.

    He also took part in the TMC’s protest programme against the recent Pegasus snooping scandal.

    Mondal recently said he was not “feeling comfortable” in his new party as promises made to him were not kept, triggering speculations over his future political move.

    Reacting to the development, senior TMC leader Sougata Ray, who was involved in negotiations with Mondal last year when he decided to quit the party, said, “He is presently on probation”.

    “We have moved to Lok Sabha Speaker seeking Sunil Mondal and Sisir Adhikari’s disqualification as they had joined the BJP. Now Sunil wants to rejoin the party, so we have kept him on probation and keep a watch on his political activities and his willingness to fight against the BJP. Then we would take a call,” he said.

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    According to TMC sources, the party had initially decided not to take back the turncoats who had ditched the party just ahead of the polls but decided to look into Mondal’s case after he dropped in twice at party leader Mukul Roy’s residence in New Delhi last week during Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Delhi visit.

    “He pleaded before the leadership to forgive him and take him back into the party fold. So the party may be having second thoughts about him,” a senior TMC leader said.

    With these comments, Mondal joined a long list of TMC leaders who switched over to the BJP ahead of the assembly elections held earlier this year and started putting out feelers to their former party after the poll results were declared.

    The BJP’s national vice-president Mukul Roy went back to the TMC in June.

    The TMC has recently moved Lok Sabha seeking disqualification of Sisir Adhikari and Sunil Mondal, who was elected MPs on TMC ticket but joined the BJP just ahead of the assembly polls.

    The development came just days after BJP leader and former union minister Babul Supriyo announced his decision to quit politics and resign as party MP.

    He hinted that the decision was partly due to losing the ministerial berth during the cabinet reshuffle and differences with the state BJP leadership.

    BJP state vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar said a few “seasonal birds” had joined the party just ahead of the polls.

    “Now, as we did not come to power, they are busy deserting the ship.

    It will not impact the party’s prospects in Bengal,” he said.

  • TMC declines turncoat MP Sunil Mondal’s feelers, says party has already moved for his disqualification

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress Wednesday virtually ruled out the possibility of reinducting turncoat TMC MP Sunil Mondal, who had switched over to the BJP last year, and said the party has already moved for annunlment of his membership under the anti-defection law.

    Mondal, who joined the BJP in December last year along with Suvendu Adhikari, said on Tuesday that he was not “feeling comfortable” in his new party as promises made to him were not kept, triggering speculations about his future political move.

    Senior TMC leader and spokesperson Sougata Roy said such comments wouldn’t yield results as the party has already moved representation to end his membership.

    “Such comments won’t yield any results. Before assembly polls, despite being a two-time TMC MP and three years of his tenure left, he switched over to the BJP. He never had any problem or grievances with the party.

    “We spoke to him and tried to reason out with him. But he was then adamant about leaving the party and joining the saffron camp,” Roy said.

    “He joined hands with Suvendu Adhikari. Now such comments that he is feeling uncomfortable won’t yield any results,” he said.

    Mondal on Tuesday said that though he had made every effort to ensure BJP’s victory in the district, there was a trust deficit within the party on those who had switched over from the TMC.

    “BJP doesn’t believe those who joined from TMC. Even my belief about the organisational strength of the BJP has been belied. I am not feeling comfortable here,” he said.

    Mondal joined the BJP along with Suvendu Adhikari at a rally of Home Minister Amit Shah in Medinipur in December last year.

    “Suvendu did not keep his promise of working together. He did not keep in touch with me. I don’t have any contact with him now,” he claimed.

    With these comments, Mondal joined a long list of leaders who switched over to the BJP ahead of the assembly elections and started sending feelers to their former party TMC after the poll results were declared.

    BJP’s national vice-president Mukul Roy went back to the TMC a few days ago.

    Following his homecoming, many other TMC defectors to the saffron party seeing the overwhyelming victory of the Mamata Banerjee’s party in the state polls are working for similar return to the parent party.

    The TMC has recently moved Lok Sabha seeking disqualification of Sisir Adhikari and Sunil Mondal, who were elected MPs on TMC ticket but joined the BJP just ahead of the assembly polls.

    While Sisir Adhikari had won from Kanthi Lok Sabha seat in Bengal, Mondal was re-elected from Bardhaman Purba Parliamentary constituency.