How Partha da’s arrest will affect Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress

Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the ED in connection with the SSC scam on Saturday. The arrest of a “purono” TMC member has posed a lot of questions to the TMC and Mamata Banerjee.

Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday in connection with the teacher recruitment scam. The question now is: what will be the impact of Partha Chatterjee’s arrest on Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress?

Things started to go downhill for the Bengal minister on Friday after the Enforcement Directorate landed at Partha Chatterjee’s home in connection with its probe into the SSC scam case. While he was being questioned, the situation became grimmer for Partha Chatterjee after Rs 20 crore in cash was recovered from the home of his close aide, Arpita Mukherjee.

The photos and video footage showing a mountain of cash recovered from Arpita Mukherjee's home went viral on social video, with the sword now hanging over Partha Chatterjee. Questions were raised as to why Partha Chatterjee has not been expelled from the party.

ALSO READ | ED arrests Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, finds link to money seized at close aide Arpita's house

According to The TMC sources, It is like a "catch 22" situation for the party. On one hand, there was a demand for expulsion of Partha Chatterjee as well as Paresh Adhikary, another TMC leader under ED scanner, from the party, but on the other hand, had the TMC expelled them, questions would have been raised over the party’s late decision.

For TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, her response to the Phartha Chatterjee case is also being closely watched.

Mamata Banerjee is reportedly angry with the whole situation. She is having discussions with Abhishek Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress is not talking about the issue at the moment and a decision on the matter is expected after the party conducts an enquiry.