After Suvendu Adhikari, another minister expresses discontent against TMC

Amid worsening relations between Suvendu Adhikari, former Cabinet minister and erstwhile close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal was left red-faced on Saturday when Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee said that those who resort to yesmanship are scoring brownie points and others have to take the backseat.

Speaking at an event in South Kolkata, the outspoken minister said that even corrupt elements are put at the forefront of political activities.

“If you can be a yesman then you will get a higher score (at the party). Since I cannot do so and can never describe a good as bad and a bad as good, my score is low,” said Rajib. He further alleged that when honest people try to work for the common people, they were held back.

Taking a veiled dig at the TMC leadership without directly taking any name, the minister said that “those who sit idle in air-conditioned rooms are now holding leadership positions.”

As for TMC’s frosty relations with Adhikari, he said that if Adhikari leaves the party, it would create a void in the leadership.

“The issue of grievances among party leaders should be taken seriously,” said Rajib.

Previously, he had raised his voice against the alleged corruption in the TMC. At a programme of the Forest Department in July, he said that if corruption had to be rooted out of the TMC then not just small leaders but the big ones also have to be nabbed.

“Just catching the small fries will be of no use if corruption has to be rooted out from the party. The big fishes also have to be nabbed,” he said.

The TMC leadership reacted rather cynically to Rajib’s comments. Senior TMC leader and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said that “Rajib is a hardworking young leader. There is no void in the party. Mamata Banerjee is always there to look after us. Actually, sometimes people get depressed.”