BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal leads protest against expelled TMC leader Sandipan Saha's residence in Kolkata

Kolkata: BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal on Thursday led a protest outside the residence of expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sandipan Saha in Kolkata's Entally area, alleging land grabbing and extortion by the legislator and his father, TMC leader Swarna Kamal Saha.

The protest drew attention as demonstrators brought two mules with photographs of Sandipan Saha and his father pasted on them.

Tibrewal said the symbolic gesture was intended to highlight what she described as the exploitation of common people by the two leaders.

Speaking to ANI during the protest, Tibrewal said, "These donkeys that the public has brought are to show that there were two donkeys in Trinamool, Sandipan Saha and Swarna Kamal Saha. Those donkey people have looted the public's money. Now let them answer why they looted."

The BJP leader alleged that the father-son duo had forcibly taken land from ordinary citizens and engaged in extortion activities. No immediate response from Sandipan Saha or the TMC was available regarding the allegations.

Tibrewal also commented on the ongoing political turmoil within the Trinamool Congress following a rebellion by a section of party legislators.

Reacting to the emergence of a new bloc of MLAs backing expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee for the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP), she said, "This was bound to happen. Where a party is formed by taking in thieves, this will happen."

Her remarks came amid a deepening internal crisis in the TMC, where a rebel faction claiming the support of 58 MLAs has sought recognition from Assembly Speaker Rathindranath Bose.

The group has proposed Ritabrata Banerjee as LoP and Sandipan Saha as Chief Whip, potentially paving the way for a formal split under anti-defection provisions.

On the Enforcement Directorate's summons to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on June 15, Tibrewal said, "Those who have committed theft will have to answer to the public." Referring to recent NIA raids on former TMC MLA Shaokat Mollah in connection with a bombing case, she added, "These people had spread such an environment there. Now that the BJP has formed the government, all this won't work now."

Meanwhile, the TMC has dissolved all its committees and frontal organisations in West Bengal, citing a comprehensive organisational review and restructuring exercise following its electoral setback.

(ANI)