August 31, 2018: Dogged by mass-desertion, CPIM has received today a yet another major jolt as former MLA and CPM District Committee secretary Biswajit Datta formally joined BJP in Khowai today. He quitted the Red party April last. State BJP prabhari Sunil Deodhar welcomed Biswajit Datta into the saffron party fold. Joining of Biswajit Datta in BJP is expected to hit CPIM hard in Khowai where the Party is already on a sticky wicket.
Biswajit Datta became a talking point after his reported illness after CPIM State Committee announced his name as party’s candidate in Khowai Assembly Constituency in last Assembly Polls. It was alleged, Party announced his illness with a purpose – to cancel his nomination and field another candidate – Nirmal Biswas replacing Datta. After Leftists were ousted from power by BJP, Datta announced his resignation from all the party posts and expressed anguish over the attitude of Party leaders.
After an almost six months, the disgruntled leader ultimately joined BJP today in Khowai. After death of influential Marxist leader and MLA Samir Deb Sarkar, Biswajit Datta emerged as a popular leader. However, intra-party squabbles reportedly started taking its toll after demise of Samir Deb Sarkar, and Datta fell victim to inner-party tussles, sources alleged.
Speaking after joining BJP, Biswajit Datta vented out his frustration and disenchantment about CPM leadership. Spewing venom at CPM leadership, he said, “While I was with CPIM, I was feeling like living in a cage. Opportunity to join in BJP, has given me a new lease of life”. Speaking on his much-discussed illness prior to Assembly Polls, former CPIM leader Datta came down heavily against the State and district CPIM leader and alleged, “CPIM conspired to kill me during last Assembly Polls. However, they failed and the process of carrying out their conspiracy, they had stigmatized the Health Department”.
A section of Party supporters – on condition of anonymity – said, Party leaders hurried decision to replace Datta and nominate Nirmal Biswas in his place triggered large scale resentment. Even though, Biswas stamped his victory over BJP candidate, CPIM suffered major erosion in its support base.
In today’s joining programme, among others, BJP district president Hari Shankar Pal, District general secretary Manoj Das, BJP leader Amit Rakshit were present.
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