Trinamool Congress distances itself from MP Mahua Moitra, after allegations on ‘cash for questions’ scam

The Trinamool Congress distances itself from MP Mahua Moitra over allegations of accepting cash; party maintains silence on other leaders' alleged wrongdoings.

The Trinamool Congress — whose leadership has so far maintained a careful silence on the BJP’s allegations that MP Mahua Moitra accepted cash to ask questions in Parliament — has now officially distanced itself from its beleaguered MP.

“We have nothing to say... The party has nothing to say at this point of time,” Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, when asked about the allegations on Saturday. Mr. Ghosh added that only Ms. Moitra, against whom the allegations were made, could comment on the issue, not the party.

The TMC’s decision to distance itself from the Krishnanagar MP has not come as a surprise; Ms. Moitra, though popular in Delhi’s political circles, is not influential as far as the party organisation is concerned. Though she served as an MLA from Karimpur in Nadia from 2016 to 2019, she never got any ministerial post in the State government or any key post in the party organisation.

Sources in the party say that the MP’s criticism of the Adani group has also not gone down well with the leadership. The TMC government of West Bengal is going ahead with the development of Tajpur port by the Adani Group, and a Letter of Intent has been issued for development of the deep sea port as well.

The deep sea port located off Tajpur, around 170 km from Kolkata, will have a deep draft of 12.1 metres. The project will entail an investment of ₹15,000 crore, and is expected to create 25,000 jobs directly, apart from providing indirect employment for about a lakh more people, according to a government document.

In fact, the TMC has consistently chosen not to comment on allegations of personal wrongdoing against most of its leaders. When allegations of corruption in a real estate project were recently levelled against another TMC MP Nusrat Jahan, and she was summoned for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate, the party maintained its silence.

“It is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra. She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent,” BJP leader and head of party’s IT cell Amit Malaviya posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” he added.