On 13th November (Monday), Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress gave a new responsibility to its Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra, who has been accused of asking questions in Parliament in exchange for gifts. TMC has appointed its MP from Krishnanagar and cash-for-query scam accused Mahua Moitra as the party’s district president of Krishnanagar (Nadia North), as reported by news agency ANI.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra appointed as party's district president of Krishnanagar (Nadia North): All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)
— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2023
(file pic) pic.twitter.com/F1rXroAHrM
Moitra will replace the incumbent District President Kallol Khan.
#Breaking: In the backdrop of Mahua Moitra row, #TMC appoints her as the Nadia – Krishnanagar’s district president replacing Kallol Khan. pic.twitter.com/jN0uwdrzt5
— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) November 13, 2023
The district falls in Mahua Moitra’s own constituency and the move is seen as silent support from Mamata Banerjee, especially after the Ethics Panel recently sought the expulsion of TMC MP from Lok Sabha after hearing testimonies in connection with the cash-for-query scam case.
Subsequently, taking to X, Mahua Moitra thanked the party for entrusting her with a new responsibility.
She wrote, “Thank you, Mamata Banerjee and AITC for appointing me District President of Krishnanagar (Nadia North). Will always work with the party for the people of Krishnanagar.”
Thank you @MamataOfficial and @AITCofficial for appointing me District President of Krishnanagar (Nadia North) .
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) November 13, 2023
Will always work with the party for the people of Krishnanagar.
However, it is important to note that so far Mamata Banerjee has not said anything openly in support of Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query scam. Nonetheless, the recent decision to hand her new responsibility is being seen as tacit support from the party. On specific media queries, the party officials had refused to take a stand claiming that the concerned MP would respond to them in her own capacity. The repeated denial to comment on the controversy indicated that the party wanted to distance itself from the serious allegations levelled against Moitra, who had been one of their known faces and mouthpiece of the party.
Meanwhile, on 9th November, Abhishek Banerjee, who is considered second in command in TMC after Mamata Banerjee, had said that Mahua Moitra was fully capable of defending herself when he was asked to respond to the allegations against their party MP. However, he did cast aspersions on the decision of the Ethics Committee and asked, “If they have no evidence, how can they recommend expulsion? This is nothing but politics of vengeance.”
The cash-for-query scam came into prominence after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey filed a complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asserting that TMC MP Mahua Moitra sought favours from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions against industrialist Gautam Adani. Later, co-accused Hiranandani accepted that using her parliamentary credentials was an error of judgment on his part and submitted a sworn affidavit reportedly to turn approver in the case.
