Mamata free to go wherever she pleases, says NCPI MP Jagadish Barma Basunia
NCPI MP Jagadish Barma Basunia dismisses Mamata Banerjee's Delhi visit, while the breakaway TMC group seeks more time to respond to disqualification notices.
In a sharp dismissal of the political significance surrounding Mamata Banerjee's recent trip to the national capital, Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia stated that the West Bengal Chief Minister is free to travel as she sees fit. Speaking on Thursday, the Cooch Behar MP indicated that the rebel faction within the political landscape remains unconcerned by her administrative or political movements.
Basunia, who is part of a group of former Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmakers who recently joined the NCPI, downplayed the impact of the Chief Minister's presence in Delhi. "As for where Mamata Banerjee goes or not, that is not our concern; she is the Leader of the Opposition and is free to go wherever she pleases," he remarked.
Legal Battle and Parliamentary Extension
The comments come amidst intense internal friction within the TMC. A significant bloc of 20 Lok Sabha MPs recently broke away from the TMC to merge with the NCPI. This move has triggered legal challenges and disqualification notices under anti-defection laws, initiated by the TMC leadership.
Addressing the legal hurdles, Basunia revealed that the breakaway group is seeking additional time to formalize their legal standing. "We will request more time, another 20 days—and our leader, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, will articulate our position on the matter," Basunia added. He noted that the group intends to file their formal replies to the Lok Sabha Speaker's office following this requested extension.
Mamata Banerjee's Reason for Delhi Visit
Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee clarified the motivations behind her trip to Delhi. She noted that while she had initially intended to send Abhishek Banerjee in her place, she changed her decision after being urged by leaders of the INDIA Alliance.
Banerjee explained that her name had been included in a list of alliance leaders seeking an appointment with the President of India. "I was asked to go, so I am going. A request for an appointment with the President has been made for the 8th or 9th on behalf of the leaders of the INDIA Alliance; my name has been included in that list," she said.
She further emphasized that staying away from the ongoing movement would not be appropriate, especially given the expectations of the people in West Bengal. "Given the ongoing movement, it wouldn't look right if I didn't stand with them, especially since the people of Bengal want me to go," she added.
Nationwide Protest Planned at Jantar Mantar
In a separate development, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced plans for a nationwide protest. Chief spokesperson Saurav Das stated that a demonstration targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is scheduled for October 10 at Jantar Mantar.
Das confirmed that the CJP has formally notified the Delhi Police regarding the protest, which is expected to be led by youth activists. The demonstration will focus on issues concerning elections and voter lists. The CJP representative noted that a formal letter had been submitted to the Parliament Street Police Station to inform authorities of the gathering.