While a meeting between Bandhu Trikey and Trinamool Congress bosses was underway in Kolkata on Wednesday on host of issues, his party colleague Chadrashekhar Dubey questioned his veracity back home. The firebrand leader, who had joined the West Bengal based party recently to contest lok Sabha polls, charged Bandhu Tirkey and Chamra linda with playing in the hands of Chief Minister Hemant Soren in return of some personal gains.
Dubey is contesting on TMC’s ticket from Dhanbad and played ignorance about any such meeting taking place involving leaders from Jharkhand. “I am not aware of any such meeting. I have not been invited. As far as withdrawal of support from this Government is concerned I had already made my views known. But our two colleagues (Bandhu Tirkey and Chamra linda) have been managed by Hemant Soren and that is why we have not been able to pull this Government down,” the outspoken leader told The Pioneer from Dhanbad.
It is considered that the JMM-led coalition Government is running on the life line provided by the two MlAs. Though, they had merged their outfits into the TMC before securing tickets for parliamentary elections but still continuing with the crucial support. The issue also figured in the discussion on Wednesday’s meeting in Kolkata when Bandhu Tirkey called on party top brass including Mukul Roy. The MlA raised the matter of extending support before the leaders.
“The Government is banking on the two MlAs but the central leadership has to make its position clear. We have to keep in mind this also that if we withdraw how much it will benefit us. Also what if some others come in (to extend support),” a source present in the meeting quoted Bandhu Tirkey as saying.
However, the final call in this regard has to be taken by Mamata Banerjee, it is likely that the party would take any decision only after May 16. On the hindsight, Dubey looked restless and questioned the morality of supporting a Government against which the TMC is contesting election.
“It is a dual policy. People understand these things very well. I have raised my voice and will do so again with Mamata Banerjee. But the thing is that Hemant Soren can go up to any level to keep his chair intact. He has done the same with the two MlAs,” said Dubey.Bandhu’s attitude would come as disappointment for Dubey even more as the former looked more interested in discussing organisational issues than anything else.