Sovan Chatterjee and Baisakhi Banerjee, prominent BJP leaders in West Bengal, have quit the party after the former was denied ticket from Behala East. The party has nominated actress Payal Sarkar from the constituency.
Baisakhi Banerjee has vowed to ‘fight back’ against the ‘conspiracies and treachery’ in a Facebook post. Since then, their resignation letters have surfaced in the media. While Sovan Chatterjee says that he has resigned because Baisakhi Banerjee was denied a ticket, Baisakhi’s letter says that she has resigned because the former did not receive a ticket from Behala East.
Sovan Chatterjee says in his letter to BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, “You have always been encouraging and I will treasure this throughout my life but a few minutes back, I got a call from Honourable Shiv Prakash ji who told me that the party has decided to give me ticket from Behala West and also not to give Baisakhi Banerjee, Co Convenor, Kolkata Zone any ticket from anywhere.”
“I feel extremely humiliated and pained to accept this decision as being a public representative for thirty six years, I had contributed to the development of the area from wherever I have been elected. As a Mayor and Minister, I have contributed to the development of not only Behala, but entire Kolkata at large. My dedicated commitment to the people of West Bengal at large can not be denied by even my opposition parties. But the party’s decision not to give me nomination from Behala East is a moral defeat for me and I have never compromised with my principles,” the letter says.
Chatterjee stated further, “I clearly said that Baisakhi and I have contributed jointly and in a very small span of time i.e. from 27th December till date, not only I but Baisakhi also have been able to penetrate within the mass and could garner huge support for herself in the entire Kolkata Zone, especially in Behala. But you have decided to overlook her contribution and have decided not to give her an opportunity to contest the election, I tender my protest against that also. In view of the above situation, I am hereby tendering my resignation from all posts given by your party and also dissociate myself from your party with immediate effect.”
Baisakhi Banerjee, in her letter, says that the two of them have been treated in a “very shabby manner” by the BJP. She says that she feels “it is essential to tender my protest against such unilateral decision not to grant him ticket from Behala Purba”.
“l am extremely pained that the party has overlooked our contribution and have treated us in a very shabby manner. Thus, I abdicate all posts in Bharatiya Janata Party and severe all ties with your party from today,” she said in her letter to Dilip Ghosh.
The BJP announced its candidates for the 3rd and 4th phases of the West Bengal Assembly Elections on Sunday. Journalist-turned-politician Swapan Das Gupta, who is currently a nominated Rajya Sabha member, has been fielded from the Tarakeswar Assembly seat. BJP MP Nisith Pramanik has been fielded from the Dinhat constituency.
Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee will contest the elections from Chunchura. Bengal actor Yash Das Gupta, who had joined BJP recently, will contest from Chanditala. MP Babul Supriyo will contest from Tollygunge.
