Kolkata: The ruling Trinamool Congress is trying to drive a wedge between the saffron camp with its efforts to create more uncertainty among the vacillating leaders (read turncoats) by saying that the cabinet reshuffle has only named those from BJP-ruled and NDA-ruled states as cabinet ministers and those who were named as ministers of state, belonged to non-NDA ruled states. Political observers see it as yet again a subtle move to destabilize the opposition saffron camp in Bengal.
The leader of Trinamool Congress in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien has tweeted a meaningful message on this count. According to him, in the fresh reshuffle of the Union cabinet MPs from BJP-ruled or NDA-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar have been awarded with cabinet minister ranks, where as MPs from opposition-ruled states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had to remain satisfied with ministers of state posts.
In the new reshuffle, BJP Babul Supriyo had to step down after his stint as a Union minister for seven years. The only positive point for Bengal is that previously there were only two Union ministers and in the fresh reshuffle the number has been doubled to four. Dr Subhash Sarkar, John Barla, Santanu Thakur and Nishith Pramanik are now the new ministers from the state, though all are ministers of state.
Naturally, Trinamool Congress has not missed the opportunity to ridicule BJP’s central leadership on this count. However, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh has this to say, "Will Trinamool Congress now stage a sit-in-demonstration to protest on this issue."
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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went on record saying, since all four are ministers of state they will not be of any help for the state. On this issue, Ghosh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows who is capable of doing what. "All four ministers from our state are hardworking and dedicated,” he said.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, the state agriculture minister Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay said, "The BJP promised a lot of things for Bengal before the elections. It is evident now how baseless their promises were. Had BJP been really serious about Bengal, at least one MP from the state would have been given the Cabinet minister status. The decision to appoint four ministers of state from West Bengal is politically motivated. The BJP claimed that they will bring development to north Bengal, then why are so many tea gardens closed. Why are the roads connecting Darjeeling with the plains damaged? Actually the appointment of four ministers from the state is an attempt to patch cracks within the party.”
Speaking on this issue, the chief whip of BJP’s legislative party in West Bengal assembly, Manoj Tigga said for Narendra Modi, Bengal is important. “That is why one MP has been given a berth in the crucial Union home ministry. The minority vote in West Bengal is extremely crucial. But there has not been any development for the minority community in the state. A minority MP from West Bengal has found a berth in the reshuffle. So Trinamool’s allegation that Bengal has been deprived in the reshuffle is wrong,” he said.
The former leader of Left legislative party in West Bengal assembly, Dr Sujan Chakraborty said that the main focus should be on the development of the state. “This is true that ministers of state have limited powers. But still if they can work for the development of the state it will be a welcome development. It would have been better if at least one MP from Bengal had been given a berth of cabinet minister,” he said.
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