Trouble for TMC mounts as WB Minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigns; Mamata downplays exit

In a big development on Tuesday, former cricketer and West Bengal Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigned from his post. This assumes significance amid the recent exit of TMC heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari who switched allegiance to BJP. The Howrah (Uttar) MLA has sent his resignation letter sent to WB CM Mamata Banerjee, a copy of which has also been forwarded to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.

While Shukla has quit as the Trinamool Congress Howrah district president, Banerjee insisted that he will continue to serve as an MLA. Downplaying the resignation, she contended that the ex-all rounder wanted to dedicate more time to cricket. The TMC supremo stressed that this development shouldn't be perceived in a negative way. 

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Cricketing career

Having represented India in the U-19 World Cup, Shukla made his ODI debut in 1999. While the all-rounder's international career was limited to three ODIs, he played 137 first-class games for Bengal scoring 6217 runs at an average of 35.93 besides bagging 172 wickets at an average of 34.75. In his List A career, Shukla scored 2997 runs with 143 scalps to his name. On the other hand, he played 47 IPL matches, representing Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In December 2015, the 39-year-old player announced his retirement from all forms of the game. 

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BJP's high-profile induction

While Suvendu Adhikari had submitted a letter resigning as the MLA on December 16, 2020, it was not accepted as no date was specified. On December 21, West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee accepted his resignation after the latter personally deposed before him. Adhikari, who had resigned from the West Bengal Cabinet on November 27, also resigned from the primary membership of the Mamata Banerjee-led party. At present, his brother Dibyendu Adhikari and father Sisir Adhikari are serving as TMC Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha.

The Adhikari family is believed to have an influence in at least 50 Assembly constituencies. The disgruntled TMC leader's move is being perceived as a setback to the party in the run-up to the WB Assembly polls. Apart from Adhikari, former MLAs Silbhadra Dutta, Tapasi Mondal, Ashoke Dinda, Sudip Mukherjee, Saikat Panja, Dipali Biswas, Sukra Munda, Shyamapda Mukherjee, Biswajit Kundu and Banasri Maity and TMC MP Sunil Mondal also joined BJP in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Midnapore on December 19. 

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