Amid ED heat, Madan Mitra resigns from TMC hours after ‘rebel’ camp visit

Day after visitng ‘rebel’ Ritabrata camp leader and Entally MLA Sandipan Saha’s place, long-term Mamata Banerjee loyalist and Kamarhati MLA submitted his resignation from all posts from the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

Mitra’s resignation comes amid the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) noose tightening around him and his family, as it has ramped up its investigation into the alleged West Bengal municipal recruitment scam. The probe agency had on Tuesday summoned Mitra’s wife and his two sons in connection with its investigation.

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Mitra is being examined over allegations that he facilitated appointments in municipal bodies in exchange for money and gold.

Following the resignation, the long-time Mamata Banerjee aide said that he remains within the Trinamool Congress, referring to the Ritabhrata Banerjee camp which has asserted itself to be the “real” Trinamool.

“I was in the Trinamool, and I remain in the Trinamool. I have only moved from one room to another,” he said.

Mitra announced his exit at the West Bengal Assembly, where he addressed the media seated beside Ritabrata Banerjee in the latter’s chamber.

Using a metaphor to explain his decision, he added, “That room may have had a comfortable bed, while this one has only a cot. I chose the cot.”

Mitra visited Sandipan Saha’s place on Tuesday night; however since the latter was not at his residence at that time, he spoke at length with Saha’s father, former MLA Swarna Kamal Saha.

According to sources, when Saha returned home and came to know about this episode, he called up Mitra and held a telephonic conversation. Assembly sources say that Mitra and Saha are scheduled to meet on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, ED sources have mentioned that Mitra’s family might have been involved in several financial transactions pertaining to the recruitment scam.

Madan Mitra joined TMC in 1998, the year when it was founded by Mamata Banerjee. He was appointed the party’s General Secretary in 2000 and by 2004, he was elevated as the president of the Trinamool Youth Congress.

In 2011, when the TMC ousted the Left from power in Bengal, Banerjee inducted Mitra into the cabinet as the State Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs, and Transport.

Mitra was earlier arrested in 2014 for his alleged involvement in the Sarada Chit Fund scam and was also held in custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation for a period of 22 months, before he was granted bail. Mitra was also arrested in 2021 for his alleged connection with the Narada sting operation.

Mitra’s resignation is the latest among the long list of departees from the Mamata Banerjee-led party which is fighting a massive political implosion as well as a battle for survival, with rebellions both among its legislative and parliamentary ranks.