By PTI
KOLKATA: The TMC on Monday appointed its Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev and another senior leader from Bengal, Sourav Chakraborty, as the party’s Goa unit co-in-charge.
Dev quit the Congress and joined the TMC in August last year.
She was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from West Bengal mid-September.
In November, the TMC appointed Mahua Moitra as its Goa unit in-charge.
“Our Hon’ble Chairperson Smt. Mamata Banerjee is pleased to appoint Smt. Sushmita Dev (Hon’ble MP, Rajya Sabha) and Dr Sourav Chakraborty (Ex-MLA, Alipurduar) as the State co-in-charges of the AITC Goa unit with immediate effect (sic),” a statement issued by the party said.
Elections are scheduled to be held in Goa sometime this year.
Party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said a number of MLAs from Tripura’s ruling party, BJP, and main opposition party, CPI(M), are in touch with Trinamool Congress and may join the Bengal-based party at some stage.
“Many MLAs and other elected representatives from the ruling BJP and the opposition have expressed their eagerness to join our party. They are keeping in touch with us. We have given a clear message that they have to join unconditionally and they would be chosen on the basis of their track records, people’s contact and (willingness) to work for people selflessly”, Banerjee, who arrived here on Sunday, told reporters.
He claimed TMC was the only party which can fight against the “misrule” of BJP.
“TMC is the only party which can fight against the misrule of BJP. We will fight against BJP till the last drop of blood. Vandalism and hooliganism have no place in Tripura. We are preparing to fight BJP in the coming Assembly elections”, Banerjee said.
He said leaders and activists would start joining soon and continue throughout the next several months.
Banerjee said he visited the residences of many party workers who were attacked by goons affiliated to the ruling party before and after the civic polls in Tripura that were held on November 25.
He said, his party is working to fight BJP not in Tripura only, but also in all other parts of the country.
However, he denied allegations that TMC’s recent political activities were harming the prospects of Congress and may help BJP.
“Ours is the only party which can fight BJP politically. We do not want to harm the prospects of Congress anyway and that is the reason we did not go to Uttar Pradesh or Punjab. But the fight against BJP can’t indefinitely wait for someone”, he said.
