Seven days before first phase Assembly polls, Trinamool MLA Abdur Razzak quits party

Kolkata: Seven days before the first phase of the Assembly elections, senior Trinamool Congress MLA from Jalangi constituency in Murshidabad district, Abdur Razzak Mandal, on Thursday quit the party.

He held a press conference at his MLA office in Kantabari in Jalangi and announced that he was severing all ties with the Trinamool Congress. Not only that, Razzak also targeted the Trinamool Congress’ Raninagar candidate Soumik Hossain, alleging that he was unable to contest the Assembly polls from Jalangi because of internal manoeuvring.

He alleged that Soumik Hossain is trying to establish himself as the leader of the Domkal subdivision. That, he claimed, was the reason he was not re-nominated from the Jalangi constituency. He further claimed that the Trinamool Congress would lose all three seats in the Domkal subdivision.

However, Soumik Hossain, in turn, said: “I am not someone who gives tickets. He is saying this to take revenge after not getting an election ticket this time.”

However, although the Trinamool Congress MLA said he has no personal regret over not being given a ticket from Jalangi this time, he has been deeply hurt by comments made by the party’s top leadership.

In Razzak Mandal’s words: “My only regret is that party leader Abhishek Banerjee said in a public meeting in Jalangi a few days ago that there are allegations of corruption in my name, and that is why I was not given a ticket. This comment has tarnished my 43-year political career.”

He questioned who made the allegations against him and why he was defamed without any discussion. Unable to accept the situation, he said he decided to leave the party. “From today onwards, I want to live as a common man,” he added.

At the same time, Abdur Razzak made an explosive claim at the press conference, saying that Trinamool candidates would be defeated in all three constituencies of the Domkal subdivision.

He also expressed apprehension that the responsibility for such a defeat might be imposed on him in the future, which he cited as another reason for severing ties with the party. However, despite quitting the Trinamool Congress, he made it clear that he is not withdrawing from politics.

He hinted that he may join another party in the future, although he clarified that he would not do so before the Assembly elections.

“I will vote as an ordinary voter. I can vote for Trinamool or any other party, whoever I want,” he said.

He also expressed doubts about the overall election outcome in the state and strongly criticised the fielding of “outsider” candidates in the Jalangi, Domkal and Raninagar constituencies. According to him, fielding local candidates naturally creates a dedicated vote base, which the party has ignored.

He added that in the past, voters in Jalangi did not favour outsider candidates. He also expressed anger that the party did not give him a place in any election committee, which, according to him, was another important reason for leaving the party.