TMC to Likely Leave Decision on ‘Ghar Wapsi’ of Turncoats to Mamata

Trinamool Congress leadership is yet to take a call on ghar wapsi (return home) by former TMC leaders who had joined the BJP ahead of the recently concluded assembly elections which the Mamata Banerjee-led party swept. Top TMC sources said Banerjee, who is the party supremo, will take a final call on allowing those TMC men and women who had crossed over to the saffron party, re-entry into party.

While analysts predicted that the party would allow a return very selectively to drive home the message to its cadre ahead of general elections in 2024, that rebellions would not be tolerated. Er shirsho sidhanta, Netri nijei nite paren (only the Leader (Banerjee) can take a final decision on this issue), said a senior TMC leader, on conditions of anonymity. “We are now preoccupied with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and organising Cyclone Yaas relief,” he added.

Several former TMC MLAs in cluding Dipendu Biswas and Sonali Guha have in recent past sent letters regretting their decision to join the BJP and sought to return back to the partys fold. Guha, who at one time was considered close to Banerjee, made an impassioned plea on camera seeking the chief ministers forgiveness. Guha, a four-time legislator from Satgachia in South 24 parganas, has also written in a letter the way fish cannot stay out of water, I will not be able to live without you, Didi.

Speculation is also rife on a possible home coming by one of TMCs founder Mukul Roy, who had crossed over to BJP after Banerjees nephew Abhishek visited his wife at a city hospital and spoke to Roys son. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also taken the trouble of ringing up to enquire about Roys wifes health.

Roy on his part has tried to lay to rest rumours of his return to TMC, yet they persist as Banerjee had termed his conduct as not so bad. The chief minister during her election campaign had branded other turncoat TMC members as Mir Jafars after the infamous Bengal general who betrayed Siraj ud Dowlah in the battle of Plassey against Lord Robets Clives army.

TMC will selectively take back people who crossed over. The aim will be to organisationally weaken BJP but at the same time it will not want too many turncoats back as this would be seen as rewarding dissidence, said Rajat Roy, well- known political analyst and member of the Calcutta Research Group Analysts feel that TMC will follow a combination of Congresss and the Lefts strategy on this. While the Congress has in the past often taken back dissidents, the Left has usually had a policy of no-come backs for dissidents and turncoats. “Inducting those who had left the party at a crucial hour and joined the brigade of falsehood led by Modi and Shah is not slated to figure tomorrow’s organisational meeting,” TMC leaders however said.

They downplayed Abhisek Banerjees visit to a private hospital to see the BJP national vice-president Mukul Roys wife as a courtesy call. Another top TMC leader told .

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here