West Bengal: Another BJP leader leaves party’s WhatsApp group

Kolkata: WhatsApp revolt in BJP remained unabated with another youth wing leader Shankudeb Panda on Sunday quit party’s WhatsApp group.

Although, according to Panda, the party’s youth wing has decided that those who are above 35 won’t be kept in youth wing for which he had left the party’s group.

“From the party it has been decided that no one above 35 will be kept in youth wing, so I have left the group so that I can do other organizational work,” said Panda.

However, Panda didn’t clear the air whether he will rejoin Trinamool Congress.

BJP spokesperson Jai Prakash Majumdar claimed that Panda’s leaving the group won’t affect the party and also that for last few occasions Panda didn’t attend any party programmes.

“Several leaders have left the group and also stated their reasons. Works are on to address the grievances but Panda’s exit is a different situation as he was not removed from any posts and on the contrary he didn’t attend any party programmes for months,” said Majumdar.

It can be recalled that after the new state committee of BJP was released the five Matua MLAs and Bongaon Matua MP Shantanu Thakur left the party’s WhatsApp group after Matua representation didn’t feature in the state committee.

After the Matuas, BJP Kharagpur MLA Hiranmay Chatterjee left the group complaining that he is ‘unwanted’ in the party.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Shantanu Sen on Panda’s quitting BJP group claimed that Panda got political recognition after he was made the president of TMC youth wing.

“Panda was a successful party worker and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee made him popular by giving him an important post. Out of personal agenda Panda then joined BJP and now seeing the failure of the saffron camp he is distancing himself with BJP,” said Sen.

It is pertinent to mention that Panda is a close aide of TMC leader Mukul Roy and according to TMC sources, Panda is in touch with several heavyweight TMC leaders.

TMC Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy claimed that the ‘downfall’ of BJP has started in the state and also that soon a day will come when BJP will be ‘limited to just a sign board’.

Published on: Sunday, January 09, 2022, 08:48 PM IST