Srinjay Bose, Rajya Sabha MP of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, who was released on bail on Wednesday in the Saradha scam case, has resigned from the party. He has also given up his Rajya Sabha seat.
Soon after he announced his decision to leave the party, TMC has said that the party will “soon announce” the name of its new member in the Upper House. Mr Bose, a shipping and media baron, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in November in connection with the Saradha scam.
In his resignation letter, Mr. Bose has admitted that politics is not his “cup of tea” and thus he has decided to resign from the primary membership of the party and his his seat in Parliament.
“During my days in custody I had finally realized that politics is not my cup of tea. There has also been a lot of pressure from my family, specially from my mother and wife which finally made me take this decision,” Mr Bose said in a press statement.
However, he thanked the Chief Minister. “I am thankful to my Didi (elder sister), Smt. Mamata Banerjee that she had thought me capable enough to make me an MP,” Mr. Bose said.
Wishing Mr. Bose good wishes for his plans, TMC reiterated its political position that the ruling party in the Centre, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is mounting pressure on the ruling party in Bengal.
“We have been saying for some time now that he has been put under tremendous pressure by the party in power at the Centre. He was released on bail yesterday. He resigned today. Did this pressure lead to some coordination? We are happy that he got “freedom” yesterday,” TMC spokesperson and Rajya Sabha M.P. Derek O’Brien said in a statement.
“The Rajya Sabha seat, which becomes vacant, will be filled by the All India Trinamool Congress. We will soon announce the name of a party member who will then become a member of the Rajya Sabha,” he added.
While granting bail the court has asked Mr. Bose to stay in Kolkata.
