NfN NETWORK
Krishnanagar, June 15: People in Nadia district are most likely to experience a new political chemistry very soon. If the grapevine is to believe, ace Congress MLA Sankar Singh is all set to join Trinamul Congress on June 21. The one time bête noire of Mamata Bandopadhaya is most likely to switch over to the ruling party of Bengal along with his party colleague and Santipur MLA Arindam Bhattacharyay.
Sources said that the duo has been teaming up with at least 10 other Congress MLAs to join the ruling party to avoid trouble under anti defection law.
While both the Congress MLAs have preferred to remain tightlipped about the ongoing speculations on their joining, party insiders loyal to them and also the Trinamul Congress sources indicated that they would be handed over ruling party’s flag in its Topsia based headquarters by the top leadership on June 21.
A Sankar loyalist Congress activist claimed that at least one thousand party workers would gather before the Topsia office on the day to witness the switch over.
In Bengal, changing political loyalty is not a new phenomenon, particularly after Trinamul came to power. During the past seven years, several opposition leaders and elected members have joined Trinamul Congress. But, as a dedicated flag bearer of Congress, Sankar Singh’s switch over to Trinamul was never a foregone conclusion. His joining to Trinamul remained a strong rumor for over years which he himself never encouraged. He always vehemently ruled out such speculation until June when he probably for the first time avoided to offer a categorical reply. “Many words spoken on the issue. Nothing is finalised” he said.
Trinamul sources said that Sankar and Arindam’s join to Trinamul Congress has now become a matter of time.
“Dada had set some terms for his joining to Trinamul. He has categorically appraised about his reservation to work under some Trinamul leaders in Nadia. The Trinamul leadership has off late accepted his conditions and now looking for an honorable rehabilitation for him in the party. Dada has already several rounds of talks with top leaders like Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chattapodhyay, Abhisek Bandopadhyay who have been working to ensure his smooth joining” – Close aide of Sankar Singh
Congress insiders claim that present state president Adhir Choudhury’s handling of party affairs and his desperate attempt to keep him in isolation practically changed mind of Sankar Singh, who in past returned several lucrative offers from Trinamul leadership to join their party.
Sankar became MLA for the first time in 2001 defeating CPM’s Jyotirmoyee Sikdaar from Ranaghat West seat. He lost in 2006 to CPM’s Aloke Das. In 2016 assembly poll Sankar Singh become MLA again defeating Trinamul’s Partha Sarathi Chattopadhyay from Ranaghat West constituency.
On the other hand Arindam Bhattacharyay, a resident of Shyamnagar in North 24parganas defeated five times Trinamul MLA Ajoy De in Santipur.
A close aide of Sankar claimed that ball started rolling finally during February this year.
“Dada had set some terms for his joining to Trinamul. He has categorically appraised about his reservation to work under some Trinamul leaders in Nadia. The Trinamul leadership has off late accepted his terms and conditions and now working for an honorable rehabilitation for him in the party. Dada has already several rounds of talks with top leaders like Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chattapodhyay, Abhisek Bandopadhyay who have been working to ensure his smooth joining”, claimed a close aide of Sankar Singh.
Senior Trinamul leader and Sabhapati of Chakdaha Panchayat Samity Haraprasad Halder said: “I have talked to Sankar Singh on the issue and he has confirmed joining Trinamul”. Nevertheless, die hard Congress activists are yet to digest the truth.
“Sankar Da would be doing wrong if he really joins Trinamul. Trinamul would finish him politically”, said a party activist in Krishnanagar.
But, Trinamul sources claimed that as per the ‘deal’ Sankar would most probably be offered the post of party’s Nadia district president soon after he joining.
“The Nadia Trinamul has been suffering from a leadership crisis. The party has no grossly acceptable leader to lead; rather it is divided in several factions. This factionalism has been increased during the tenure of Gourisankar Dutta, who was replaced recently with Ujjwal Biswas. But, Biswas has been recently inducted to the ministry. State leadership now wants a full time president who is acceptable to all and can control things using his personal charisma. Sankar is the ideal choice for it”, a Trinamul leader in Kolkata said.
But, Aridam Bhattacharyay’s joining to Trinamul is all set to rattle the party workers in Santipur town. They think that inviting Arindam to party is in other term finishing political career of former MLA and Santipur Municipality chairman Ajoy De.