Ritabrata and (R) Sandipan (L)

Kolkata: The ‘Signgate’ controversy over alleged forgery of signatures of Trinamool MLAs hit the headlines for the first time on Monday, soon after Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari’s press conference, throwing the Trinamool into further disarray. Trinamool was forced to expel two of its MLAs, Sandipan Saha (Entally) and Ritabrata Banerjee (Uluberia East) following the act of defiance a month ago.The CM official revealed that both of them had complained to the Assembly Speaker about the alleged forgery of signatures of Trinamool MLAs during the process of choosing the opposition leader in the Assembly. This complaint, which was completely against the Trinamool party line, had earlier prompted the Assembly Secretary to file an FIR with the Hare Street police and strengthened the police case against the Trinamool leadership.“I have directed the CID to take all possible action (against this fraud),” he said. Those who do not cooperate will have to face consequences as per law. No one will be spared, the officer said. There is no role of BJP or the state in exposing the matter. Two Trinamool MLAs themselves filed the complaint,” he said, rubbing it in. He also announced a three-member special investigation team headed by a DIG rank officer to probe the issue.Eighty MLAs were elected to the assembly on Trinamool tickets; The party’s strength will be reduced to 78 once the expulsion process reaches its conclusion. A breakaway faction can defeat the anti-defection law if it can break away 27 MLAs (about a third of Trinamool’s current strength of 80). The development prompted Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee to appeal to party MLAs “not to take hasty decisions”. Referring to Ritabrata, he said, “It was a mistake to take on a person who had been expelled by the CPM.”

Ritabrata says, someone had to do it; Kunal called this act a ‘big betrayal’

Trinamool gave them a chance to become MPs and MLAs at the expense of others,” Mamata Banerjee said, referring to a Trinamool MP who wanted an (MLA) ticket for her son. Unaware of the rapidly unfolding scenario and disagreement from almost every side, the party ‘thanked’ Adhikari for bringing the issue to the fore.Party spokesperson and Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged a larger conspiracy led by Ritabrata to poach more MLAs to his side and referred to Ritabrata’s “meeting” with over 20 other Trinamool MLAs at a hotel in New Town, which was later refuted.CM Adhikari earlier told that Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had written a letter to the Bengal Assembly Speaker on May 9, in which the assembly opposition leader, deputy leader and chief whip were nominated. On May 18, the Principal Secretary of the Assembly asked Trinamool to submit the minutes of the resolution. Abhishek sent a resolution bearing the signatures of 70 MLAs, out of which the names of 14 were written in capital letters.“Two Trinamool MLAs complained to the Speaker and alleged that no resolution on the selection of the opposition leader was adopted in the Assembly on May 6. The complaint alleged that the resolution of May 6 was fabricated,” the official said. After this, the Speaker directed the Assembly Chief Secretary to lodge an FIR with the Hare Street Police. Later the case was handed over to CID.An official said the CID has so far conducted “videography, photography and signature verification” of 13 MLAs. “Three of them, Baharul Islam, Arup Roy and Subhasish Das, told the CID that the signatures were not theirs,”The officer said, “Trinamool has not given up its habit of theft even after losing. They are certified experienced thieves. They are highly corrupt.” The two MLAs who complained were adamant. Saha said they had acted against an illegal act within the party and did not regret their stance: “Abhishek signed and submitted the document, certifying that this was our resolution. But there are many errors in that list. It also includes signatures of those who are not MLAs. He said that if the party expelled him for exposing unethical and irregular acts, it shows that the leadership supports unethical conduct. Saha said, “We were not aware that the signatures on the attendance register would later be converted into a resolution and handed over to the Speaker. This is completely illegal.”“Someone had to do it,” Ritabrata said Monday. ”Sandipan and I jointly discussed and drafted and submitted the letter to the Speaker,” he said, adding that the way Abhishek managed the elections forced all TMC MLAs to declare support for him, which upset many MLAs. Ghosh described the action of the two MLAs as “a big betrayal”. “The workers will decide. The leadership will rebuild the party. Couldn’t we wait a little?” he asked.Trinamool MLAs spoke in different voices about the party’s controversial proposal. Islam (mentioned by the CM official) admitted that he had not signed the proposal. “I did not come out of my house on May 6 because of the violence. There is no question of signing (it),” he said. “I wrote my name in capital letters and then wrote the name of my constituency. After that there was no space left to sign the form. There was nothing fake or suspicious in it.