Will resign if proven I dialed Shah over TMC's national status: Mamata Banerjee

Our party’s name was and will remain (the) All India Trinamool Congress, Mamata said

The ruling Trinamool Congress, and BJP-Bengal’s MLA and leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, are into a direct confrontation.

The Trinamool has warned of legal proceedings if Adhikari doesn’t withdraw his “false” statement, a part of which claimed that Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee had called Union Home Minister Amit Shah four times asking if her party’s national status could be kept till 2024, or not.

Banerjee, on Wednesday, said that “an opposition leader in Singur claimed that post the derecognition of AITC as a national party, I had supposedly called up the Union Home Minister four times”.

Read | Mamata demands Amit Shah’s resignation over toppling state government remark

“Appalled” by the remarks, Banerjee said that the same is being covered by the press, unverified. “I challenge the person who made this claim to prove his remarks, and if he can, I will resign from the post of the chief minister. If his claims are proven wrong, will the BJP leader resign and accept defeat?” she said.

The chief minister said the status concerning recognition of national parties is reviewed every ten years. For the Trinamool, the last review took place in 2016, and so the next one should be in 2026. “Our party’s name was and will remain (the) All India Trinamool Congress. If BJP opposes it, they can go to (the) Election Commission…,” Banerjee added.

Adhikari, on Wednesday, tweeted to back his claim, again. “For making the call to Delhi, you used a landline. I'd expose you in due time. Wait for my befitting reply tomorrow,” he stated.

The Trinamool, on its official handle, shared a letter addressed to Adhikari. The letter quoting Adhikari’s statement – of Banerjee having called Shah four times, and asking if the party’s national status could be kept till 2024, or not – made a day earlier, stated, “By making such a false statement, you have attempted to defame our party and mislead the public.” The letter signed by party’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien (and also copied to Shah) asked that the statement be withdrawn, otherwise legal proceedings will be initiated “against you and Sri Amit Shah, who needlessly shall be drawn into a serious litigation for such falsehood of yours”.