Kolkata, May 29: Senior TMC leader and Advocate General of Mizoram, Biswajit Deb, has attributed the party’s recent electoral defeat to overconfidence and arrogance. In an interview with a news agency, Deb stated, “We were on the ground and could see that the situation was gradually slipping away from us. Corruption reached its peak over the last five years, with cases surfacing in every department. Many ministers, MPs, and MLAs were arrested, and some were re-nominated, which angered the public. Approximately 26,000 teachers lost their jobs, and the RG Kar Medical College incident further fueled public outrage.”
Deb also raised questions about Abhishek Banerjee, saying, “Mamata Banerjee placed too much trust in Abhishek. He attempted to turn the party into a corporate entity, while a political party should work at the grassroots level. Ground workers received neither recognition nor respect. There was no communication between the workers and the leadership; all dialogue happened only through the I-PAC. Allegations suggest that I-PAC demanded money in exchange for tickets.”
He mentioned that he would decide within two days whether to leave the party or not, justifying the SIR by stating that it falls under the Election Commission’s authority as per the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Article 324 of the Constitution.
In a separate statement, TMC MP Sougata Roy expressed satisfaction over the peaceful observance of Bakrid, noting that prayers were held at Brigade Ground this time, where ample space was available. He remarked, “Bakrid passed off peacefully. About 10,000 people participated in the prayers in my area, Kamarkhati. Previously, prayers were held at Red Road and Shahid Minar, but this time, better arrangements at Brigade Ground made the event successful.”
Roy expressed displeasure over the CEO of Kolkata praising security arrangements, stating that the officer was acting as a government spokesperson. He added that after the event concluded smoothly, there was no need for the commissioner to make additional statements. Meanwhile, he accused the BJP of attacking TMC workers, attributing it to police negligence. “We went to peacefully submit a memorandum at the police station. Some BJP goons came out and started shouting slogans. As we were leaving, they yelled ‘thief-thief,'” he said.