Kabirul Islam Resigns as General Secretary of TMC’s Minority Cell, Amid Rebellion in Party

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kabirul Islam resigned from the post of general secretary of the party’s minority cell on Friday.

Shortly before Kabirul Islam’s resignation, Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta resigned from the TMC in the third major exit from the party in the last 24 hours.

Shilbhadra Dutta, a two-term MLA, said he has sent the resignation letter to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee by email, triggering speculations that he may join a long list of party leaders who have either joined the BJP or is willing to ahead of the assembly elections, likely in March-April.

In a jolt to the TMC ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections 2021, heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari quit the party on Thursday after giving up his cabinet portfolios in the state government and resigning as an MLA.

Hailing Adhikari, Pandabeswar MLA and Asansol civic body chief Jitendra Tiwari also quit the party, amid speculations that they may switch over to the BJP.

Former minister Shyamaprasad Mukherjee too has announced that he would leave the party and join the BJP.

(With PTI inputs)