Another rebel in the party? Meeting with Asansol Trinamool leader Jitendra Tiwari in Kolkata today

Ahead of the Assembly elections of 2021, the Trinamool Congress’ list of rebel leaders seem to be growing. A meeting has been called in Kolkata on Tuesday to discuss some serious disgruntlement of Trinamool Congress leader from Asansol, Jitendra Tewari.

Trinamool’s political advisor Prashant Kishor and MP Abhshek Banerjee, apart from minister Firhad Hakim, are expected to attend the meeting in Kolkata’s Camac Street along with Jitendra Tewari.

Tewari, the Asansol municipality administrator, has shot off a letter to urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim, to state that Central government funds were being returned “for political reasons”, and had it been used, it would have helped the development of Asansol. The letter that got leaked into the media, has miffed Trinamool senior leaders, who feel that Tiwari could have discussed the matter instead of writing an official letter. Since this is the exact allegation of the BJP against the Trinamool Congress government, the matter has become politically significant too.

According to Tewari, Firhad Hakim has no right to criticise him because “when, after the Lok Sabha polls the BJP was capturing our party offices in Asansol, where was Firhad Hakim? I was there handling the heat all on my own”.

Hakim said that Tiwari should not have written such a letter, and could have “discussed” the matter with him instead. “It is a political decision. Why raise such issues through an official letter? What could be the motive behind?” Hakim has questioned. Apparently, Hakim had called Tiwari after that and accordingly a meeting has been scheduled on Tuesday at 6 pm in the Camac Street office.

Tewari however blamed Hakim for the letter leaking out. “It was a confidential letter. How can it come out in the open? It is not a political but administrative matter. I wrote to the minister as administrator,” Tewari said, adding that there were unnecessary rumours being floated about his possibility of joining the BJP. “I have been with the Trinamool Congress. I always speak for the party’s good. Why does criticism have to mean something else?” Tewari questioned.