Asansol MLA Jitendra Tiwari does a U-turn; withdraws resignation, returns to Mamata's camp

In ar twist in Bengal battle, Ex-Asansol civic body chief Jitendra Tiwari on Friday, has withdrawn his resignation from party and his post, apologising for his statements 'disavowing Trinamool'. ding that he is very much with Trinamool, Tiwari took a U-turn from his statement a day ago saying, 'w it is t possible for me to stay with m. I have resigned from post of district chief of party'. Following Tiwari, seven or TMC leers have quit triggered by exit of TMC heavyweight Suvendu hikari.

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On Wednesday, Suvendu hikari tendered his resignation for Bengal Assembly, which has been rejected by  Speaker Biman Banerjee stating that 'date was t mentioned' in letter. Following his resignation, hikari held a closed-door meeting with disgruntled leers of party including senior MP Sunil Mandal, Jitendra Tiwari, Nityananda Chattophyay. Soon after, Asansol civic body chief - Tiwari, who h recently slammed state government for depriving industrial town of Asansol of central funds for political reasons, quit party along with Abhijit Acharya (Vice-President of Paschim Bardhaman) and Col Diptangshu Choudhury (South Bengal State Transport Corporation). Tiwari's allegations were rebutted by Trinamool.

This led to a barr of exits like Rabi-Ul-Islam (Legal visor of Asansol Municipal Corporation), Aparesh Santra (Vice President of Patashpur-2 Block), Silbhra Datta (TMC MLA from Barrackpore), Kabir-Ul-Islam (TMC mirity cell general secretary) and  Banashri Maity (Uttar Kanthi MLA).  hikari will purportedly join BJP in presence of Amit Shah on Saturday - at a meeting in Medinipur. se resignations come ahe of West Bengal polls in April-May 2021, where Mamata Banerjee eyes a third consecutive term.

Reacting to Suvendu's exit, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that 'people who won't get a ticket are going away'. dressing a public rally, Banerjee lashed out at saffron party saying that y were 'attacking TMC', but ded, 'TMC is as deep-rooted as a Banyan tree'. Banerjee h deputed Prashant Kishor and several top TMC leers to placate hikari, but it was t fruitful as Nandigram MLA reportedly eyed CM post. TMC chief has directed Prashant Kishor to reach out to rebels again, saying, 'I will fight polls alone orwise', as per sources. hikari - mastermind of 2007 Nandigram agitation - who holds influence in about 35 assembly constituencies in West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Birbhum districts, has been miffed with growing influence of poll strategist Prashant Kishor and Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, resulting in his sidelining.

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