West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday issued a public missive to her party’s firebrand MP Mahua Moitra, asking her to concentrate on her own Lok Sabha constituency.
“Mahua, who gives post and who does not give is not important. It is for the party to think about that. Karimpur is not your area, it’s Abu Taher’s and he will see. You only concentrate on your Lok Sabha constituency,” Banerjee said at the party organisational booth meeting.
Mahua Moitra was elected MLA from Karimpur constituency in 2016. In 2019, she became MP from Krishnanagar seat. A portion of the Karimpur Assembly constituency falls under Krishnanagar limits. As Nadia district president, Moitra used to look after the entire area at one point.
After the 2021 West Bengal elections, Moitra was removed from the post of district president. Sources say that though she no longer holds the post, she does hold sway in Karimpur, where she also has ancestral property. Her interest in the area is reportedly not appreciated by Karimpur’s current MLA, a fact brought to the notice of Mamata Banerjee which reportedly prompted the public chastising.
In a Facebook post on Friday evening, Moitra, in apparent reaction to the CM’s advice, reiterated her association with Karimpur.
“You all know that in 2016, with the blessing of Mamata Banerjee and your love, I became MLA Karimpur. From 2016 to 2019, I tried to implement developmental work of Mamata Banerjee government in this region. During this time, I got works done worth Rs 149 crore here. Karimpur ITI and other colleges came up. In 2019, I became MP from Krishnanagar. I have worked for each assembly constituency in my area and also have worked for Karimpur as the people of Karimpur love me,” she said.
“As a voter of Karimpur and also as former MLA, my bonding with Karimpur was and will be there. Today, party high command has asked me to give more time to my Lok Sabha constituency. Therefore, I will not be able to give more time (to Karimpur). My request to you all from now is that for developmental work, please get in touch with the MLA of this region, Abu Taher Khan.”
This is not the first time Moitra has found herself at odds with the party leadership. Her recent remarks about Hindu goddess Kali put the TMC on the back foot, leading to the party distancing itself from the comments.
“The comments made by @MahuaMoitra and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are NOT ENDORSED BY THE PARTY in ANY MANNER OR FORM. All India Trinamool Congress strongly condemns such comments (sic),” the party’s official handle had tweeted.
Moitra unfollowed the party’s handle shortly after but continues to follow Mamata Banerjee on the micro-blogging site. She had also been cautioned by Banerjee in December 2021 against “groupism” after reports of infighting in Krishnanagar.
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