Somen Mitra’s wife Sikha returns to TMC

TMC MP Mala Roy and the party’s Chowringhee MLA Nayna Bandyopadhyay welcomed Mitra and two local Congress leaders to the party at the Trinamool Bhavan on Sunday afternoon.

Mitra’s move to the TMC came amid differences that emerged between her, her son Rohan, and the state Congress led by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after Somen Mitra’s death in July 2020. Rohan, who resigned as the state Congress general secretary in July, continues to remain in the grand old party.

Asked about her resignation as a TMC MLA seven years ago, Mitra said there were some differences with the TMC leadership, but added that those had been resolved.

“Mamata Banerjee had called me up after my husband died and I have always been on cordial terms with her,” she told reporters.

Ahead of the state elections, the BJP had nominated Mitra as its candidate from Chowringhee. However, she refused to contest the polls, and claimed that the Opposition party did not take her consent before nominating her. Asked about it, Mitra said, “I have always believed that the BJP is a communal party.”

Reacting to Mitra’s decision, Adhir Chowdhury, who is also the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, said, “I don’t know why Sikha Mitra left the Congress and joined the TMC. She was with the TMC earlier and had joined the Congress but now returned to the ruling party. It is her personal decision. We have always treated her with respect.” — With PTI inputs