For Mamata, probe a cause for concern

Sixteen years ago, the then Union minister Mamata Banerjee had resigned from Atal Behari Vajpayee cabinet when BJP president was caught on a spy cam taking money. Now, Banerjee faces a challenge as the CBI has been asked to probe a sting operation in which her party leaders were seen accepting money.

The CBI probe also comes at a time when the BJP, a rapidly growing power in West Bengal, has turned its focus on the state to improve its tally.

The BJP is waiting to leverage the situation and will go for an extensive campaign.

“Didi has said she will take the matter in Supreme Court. We want to know if she is going to spend public money to defend the corrupt leaders?” asked Roopa Ganguly, BJP MP from West Bengal.

This will be the third CBI probe against Trinamool leaders after Sharada chit fund scam and the Rose Valley scam. In two earlier probes, party’s sitting MPs were taken into custody. As corruption charges are mounting on the party, its image is taking a further beating among the voters in the state.

A section of the Trinamool leadership is worried that the party’s standing as a key force against the Narendra Modi government may be affected. Although no corruption charges in the scams have been proved in courts against any Trinamool leader, the party may have to tread in a calibrated manner. This scam involves the maximum number of top-ranking leaders of Trinamool.

Left parties, which are jostling with Trinamool for the key space in an alternative non-BJP front, has already started making noise against the Bengal’s ruling party to isolate it further in the Opposition space.

So far, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejrial had provided strong support to Banerjee and vice versa. But in the wake of new corruption charges, even Kejriwal may have to reconsider his bonhomie with Banerjee.

Party MP Prasun Banerjee, one of the accused in the Narada sting operation, brushed aside the charges as “part of the usual ups and downs in politics.”

Didi has said she will take the matter to Supreme Court. We want to know if she is going to spend public money to defend the corrupt leaders? ROOPA GANGULY , BJP MP from West Bengal