Kharagpur (West Bengal) [India], July 5 : West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said that a "wave of resignations" has begun within the Trinamool Congress, alleging that the party "no longer exists."
Speaking on Chandrima Bhattacharya's resignation, Ghosh questioned her role as former Finance Minister, questioning why the state's situation was "dire".
"A wave of resignations has begun within the TMC. This trend will continue because, in reality, their party no longer exists. Chandrima Bhattacharya served as Finance Minister for so many years; was she unaware of the budget? Was the budget prepared without consulting her? Why did this happen?" he told reporters.
The BJP leader also took a swipe at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over budget preparations.
"Mamata Banerjee used to claim that she prepared the budget while on a treadmill. Preparing a budget on a treadmill is madness. That is precisely why the situation in Bengal is so dire. Today, now that the party is finished, she (Chandrima Bhattacharya) has switched sides and is making such statements. Why didn't she raise her voice earlier? People elected and sent you there. If work wasn't getting done, why didn't you say anything back then?," he added.
Ghosh's remarks come after the party's state unit president and former Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from all party posts on Saturday. Following this, Mamata Banerjee assumed the post of the state president of the party.
Chandrima termed former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks accusing her of "handing over" the Trinamool Bhavan to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction as the reason behind her resignation from the party.
Bhattacharya told ANI that she was hurt by the party supremo's remarks.
Bhattacharya said, "You saw what happened yesterday. An incident happened at Trinamool Bhavan. After that, Mamata ji spoke to me over the phone. She told me, 'You handed over Trinamool Bhavan to them.' This hurt me. There was no need to say this."
The resignation comes at a time of high drama in West Bengal politics, as the property owner of the TMC's state party office in Kolkata locked the premises from the inside following reports that the rebel faction had taken possession of the building.
Meanwhile, TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh hit out at Chandrima Bhattacharya, calling her "arrogant".
Kunal Ghosh said, "I willl speak on this later, not right now. Anyone can make any decision, but when Mamata Banerjee was the CM, she (Chandrima Bhattacharya) had the most important ministry (department). Now she is showing arrogance."