Veteran Trinamul Congress leader in the district Mohan Sharma, who holds nine government and party posts, tendered his resignation from all of them today. Mr Sharma, the Mentor of the Alipurduar Zilla Parishad and the Chairman of the Terai Dooars Cultural Development Board (Gorkha), expressed his utter dismay over TMC district president Mridul Goswami also told the Press in Kalchini that he would, however, remain with the party as a general member.

“I was suffocated in the party. Our district party president Mridul Goswami neither phoned me nor consulted me regarding any matter after the elections were declared, though Mamata Banerjee had asked him to do everything in consultation with me. I have sent a letter to the higher authorities in my party to allow me to leave all my government and party posts. I will be a general worker of the Trinamul Congress. I did not resign as an elected Zilla Parishad member as I must have that in the field of politics,” Mr Sharma said.

“A leader, who is an outsider, is collecting money, cut money and spoiling the party in the district. I had informed my party about everything, but in vain. Even false allegations like running a casino and doing drug business were levelled against me, which hurt me very hard,” Mr Sharma told reporters.

According to him, party leader Abhishek Banerjee had asked him to take in Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung in the party’s side in the presence of outgoing tourism minister Gautam Deb.

“I did that on his request. I also gave money to the Gurung camp for their meeting and rallies, and now I am hearing that Bimal Gurung is defaming me as per the party’s instructtions,” he said.

Mr Sharma is a long-time political figure in the district and was once the district president of the TMC. He also held the Sabhadhipati’s post at the Alipurduar Zilla Parishad in the past. He was further the opposition leader of the undivided Jalpaiguri Zilla Parishad during the Left rule in the state.

TMC district president, Mr Goswami, on the other hand, refused to comment on the development and said he was not aware of any such thing.