Mahua Moitra is the Trinamool Congress’ Lok Sabha MP from Bengal’s Krishnanagar (File).
Kolkata:
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has broken her long silence on the controversy surrounding Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s looming expulsion from the Lok Sabha, declaring it will boost her chances in next year’s general election. “Mahua Moitra’s expulsion from Lok Sabha is being planned… but this will help her before the election,” Ms Banerjee said Thursday at an event in Kolkata.
Prior to this short, but significant message, of support, Ms Banerjee had refused to discuss the furore surrounding Ms Moitra, who is accused of taking bribes, including Rs 2 crore in cash, from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions targeting the Modi government in Parliament.
The Trinamool’s silence was jumped on by the BJP, which claimed Ms Moitra has been “abandoned”, and that Ms Banerjee’s silence was an admission of her party leader’s guilt.
READ | Mamata Banerjee Mum On Mahua Moitra But Warns Agency After Raids
However, amid the controversy Mahua Moitra was given a new post – district chief of the party’s Krishnanagar (Nadia North) office, which falls within her Lok Sabha constituency.
She thanked Ms Banerjee and the party in a post on X. “Thank you, Mamata Banerjee and AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) for appointing me district president of Krishnanagar (Nadia North). Will always work with the party for the people of Krishnanagar.”
Thank you @MamataOfficial and @AITCofficial for appointing me District President of Krishnanagar (Nadia North) .
Will always work with the party for the people of Krishnanagar.— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) November 13, 2023
Previously, the only senior Trinamool leader to publicly discuss Mahua Moitra was Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s National General Secretary, and that was only a brief reference.
On November 9 Mr Banerjee called Ms Moitra a “victim of politics”.
READ | “Mahua Moitra A Victim Of Politics”: Abhishek Banerjee
And, before that, the Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien simply said the party would take an appropriate decision after the inquiry that finished this month – following a stormy hearing in which Ms Moitra accused the committee of asking “filthy” questions while recording her statement.
READ | Questions Asked Of Mahua Moitra After Which She Walked Out Of Meet
In its report, now before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the committee recommended Ms Moitra be expelled from Parliament. It found her actions “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal”.
Ms Moitra has been accused of sharing the login credentials for her account on the top-secret Parliament server. She has admitted to this, arguing it is common practice for all MPs.
READ | “Gave Darshan Hiranandani My Parliament Login Credentials”: Mahua Moitra
She has, however, denied charges she accepted bribes from Mr Hiranandani, who claimed she asked for various favours, including luxury gifts, in return for asking certain questions.
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