After the Trinamool Congress split in West Bengal, speculations are rife that yet another minister may leave Mamata Banerjee to join the rebel side.
Three-time Trinamool MLA from Syampukur and former minister Shashi Panja reportedly met NCPI MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Saturday, fueling speculations that the former may also defect from the party.
Panja lost to BJP candidate Purnima Chakraborty from Shyampukur constituency by 14,633 votes in this year's assembly elections.
She has not been seen publicly since the election results were announced.
The rumours began on Saturday. Sources say that the two met at the Ghosh Dastidar Institute of Fertility Research.
Panja, a doctor by profession, reportedly visited Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's fertility clinic, which is located just 800 metres from Mamta Banerjee’s residence.
Dastidar is one of the 20 rebel MPs who defected from the TMC and joined the NCPI. She was recently made the Chief Whip of the party. Like Panja, Dastidar is also a former doctor.
Sources say that the two met at the Ghosh Dastidar Institute of Fertility Research.
The meeting was considered significant in light of recent events. Dastidar was seen sitting in the front row with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an NDA meet earlier this week.
Panja was also seen as part of the quartet of women in Mamata Brigade. Except for Panja, the three others joined the NCPI faction.
A post on social media by Dastidar’s son, Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar, only added fuel to the speculations on Sunday. He wrote, "Shashi Panja is going to leave Trinamool very soon." The post was deleted within a short time.
The MP’s son, Panja and the TMC are yet to respond to the rumours.
